Captain America: Re-Birth of a Hero
by Composer777
Summary: So much death. Humanity has suffered so much at the hands of the Covenant. The merciless aliens have slaughtered billions, and left the UNSC, humanities guardian angel, in disarray. A single setback is all it would take to bring humanity to its knees. Is this our future? Not if humanities greatest heroes have anything to say about it!
1. Prologue and Secrets

Prologue:

Explosions bursting all around him, bullets zipping overhead, the cries of the wounded: the screams of the dying. So subtle a sound, you almost missed it. But when that terrible moment came, when there was a lull, when the bombs and bullets stopped, the wailing of those stricken men was the most chilling sound of all. It broke your courage and chilled your soul, down to its very core. It was the most terrible sound of them all.

Captain America had lost his shield. The mocking God's of war had thought it hilarious to take his most precious weapon from him. It was more than a weapon, it was his saviour, his eternal lifeline, and without it would have died long ago. Would he be killed this day?

Steven Rogers didn't think about such thoughts, he was a soldier, and a veteran of a hundred battles. He felt fear yes, but it was a distant fear. The kind of fear that every blooded man feels. His mind was cool, calm and fee of the anxieties that other men battled against. He held his rifle, his last lifeline, the only thing that separated himself and death during this terrible battle.

And how terrible it was, the bombs. The bullets. The chilling and terrible screams of the wounded. Blood and viscera, the body parts of men no longer recognisable. It was an experience that broke millions...but not Steven Rogers. He had been placed above such troubles. Nightmares occasionally plagued him, interrupting dreams and precious sleep, but he had been bred to be free from the fears of normal men.

He felt like a freak at times. Why should he deal with such things? Be able to deal with such things when other men couldn't? The answer was actually quite simple: No one else would!

Salvos blasted from his mighty weapon. He strafed through the return fire that exploded all around, so loud it threatened to burst his ear drums. Thick black smoke hung about much of the battlefield, concealing enemies and the terrain before him, concealing vital battlefield information from him, forcing him to rely on instinct alone. Munitions blasted all around him, forcing him to go to ground.

The strange and alien munitions burned him as they dug into his body. Agony shot through his left side as he tried to pull the shrapnel out to no avail. He hugged the ground, finding momentary shelter inside the foxhole.

This battlefield was alien to him, he felt vulnerable, as he did in all wars, but here was different, he felt as if decades of experience were working against him. Suddenly he spied movement out of the corner of his eye. A flicker in the atmosphere in front of him.

He could make out a person, no! A monster! A shimmering ghost or shade. Legs, arms, body, helmet. Nothing like he had ever seen. Asgardian magic, alien technology, nothing prepared him for this.

The enemy was like nothing he had ever seen. It wasn't human, colossal and muscular, worse than any Kree, worse than any Skrull, worse than any monster or horror he had ever faced. It was like something out of a horror movie. He zeroed his rifle on his enemy. Would it be enough? He loosened the buckle on his combat knife. Could the simple blade really save him from death?

War was hell, and hell was exactly where Captain America felt he was...

Chapter 1: Secrets:

"_Oh! Death was never an enemy of ours! We laughed, knowing that better men would walk our path and greater wars would come. When each proud fighter brags about his victories and despairs about his losses. After the politicians, the intellectuals and idealists are done rejoicing at the greatness of their victorious system._

_All blustering put aside, no soldier fights for flags, for families or ideals. During the heat of battle soldiers fight for two things only: Their brothers, and their lives._

_But there are exceptions. Or more so, one more thing a soldier will fight for. Heroes...true heroes. There are few such men, but for those who do exist, soldiers will fight 'till death for them above everything else...men like Jacob Keyes and Spartan-117. _

_There is only one other that I can think of, and that heroes' name is Captain America..."  
_

Twenty eight, twenty eight years. That's how long the war had lasted. Entire planets had been abandoned, rendered lifeless or inhospitable: Twenty three billion humans executed, trapped inside a galactic wide crossfire, with nowhere left to run to. Twelve months, fifty two weeks, 365 days. That's how long had passed since the armistice. Peace finally reigned.

Lord Hood screwed up his nose as he passed through the narrow, blue-lit corridor. It was cold, damp and stank of the sewer rats that inhabited it. Even in the 26th century, it was still impossible to keep the rodents at bay. "Peace" Scoffed Lord hood, what a strange word to call it. Chaos was a better label for the current state of affairs.

Colonies were starving out there in the void of space, and after three decades of total war the infrastructure of the UNSC had been all but destroyed. The people of earth were in outcry. Something had to be done. But everyone knew there was very little that could be done. The tools required for such a colossal relief effort simply didn't exist anymore.

Rebellion was rife, insurrectionist movements that had been under control prior to the start of the Human-Covenant war were growing in strength. New human powers were rising – separated from other humans. It went against everything the UNSC stood for, that humanity needs to stand together as one in order to survive. Had people learnt nothing from the war?

Now with the UNSC's armies gone, all that could be done was to stabilise half a dozen core worlds. The rest of their recourses were needed for rebuilding humanity and driving back dangerous Covenant remnant fractions. The only reason why the entire human race hadn't already starved to death was because of the efforts of their Sangheili allies. Without them, what progress the UNSC had made would have been impossible.

Thel 'Vadam, the Arbiter, High Chancellor of the Free Confederation of Sangheilos had been instrumental in the setting up of hundreds of relief efforts across human occupied planets: Not a popular choice amongst the elites, billions had been killed on both sides during the war. Most humans hated the elites, most elite's hated humans. The Sangheili had their own problems. Their empire had been halved, whole colonies had been glassed by vengeful brutes and their lord prophets, and they're entire civilization was just one knife edge away from a civil war. Why then should they help us humans? We who were responsible for killing so many of their kind?

Anyway, Terrance Hood didn't have time for such trivia; every human knew this history. Every human also knew the complete mess they were in. It was going to be like the birth of the UNSC all other again. It would take centuries for humanity to recover. The UN needed to start from the bottom up and the outer colonies would have to fend for themselves for now. Humanities priority was earth and her neighbouring systems.

Yet, there was optimism. There were an infinite number of bright and shining possibilities where humanity would go from here. There were hundreds of secrets waiting to be discovered amongst the stars. Forerunner relics and ancient human infrastructure lost long ago since the cataclysmic interplanetary wars. He was about to visit one of those secrets now. Hood had almost reached the end of the long, dimly lit corridor.

"Attention marines...Ten Huit!" The huddle of guards stood outside a large metal door at the end of the metal hallway. They quickly formed rank upon realising that a superior officer was passing by. It was a welcome change, something other than the usual drudgery of their duties. Oh how they hated it! The steel-lined corridor, cold and dimly-lit, was all too familiar to the squad of Marines, assigned to patrol its depths for what seemed half a lifetime. It had always seemed odd, the assignment of Special Forces members to do nothing but trudge down an abandoned passageway, carrying the most advanced and modern weaponry, to inevitably meet no foe.

The most up to date weaponry, the most advanced training, and almost half a mile of narrow corridor to see any enemy coming. Though they had all these advantages, they were still nervous. Nervous because after all these years they have never actually seen what was inside that door. Their duty had always been under any and all circumstances to stay by this door and fight to the death. But today was different, today Lord Terrence Hood himself had come down the corridor, and he was going to open the door!

The Marines stood at the ready; their designated marksman's rifles and SAW's (Squad Automatic Weapons) pointed down the hallway at all times to patrol for enemies. Now would be the worst moment for any brute infiltrators or curious human civilians to walk down that passageway. Lord Hood was not alone, accompanied by two ODST fire teams. Behind these troopers was a portable med chamber, suspended by anti-grav plating, a team of scientists swarming over the delicate equipment babbling about "not damaging the delicate equipment".

"At Ease, boys" Lord Hood called out as he walked over to the door. The marines relaxed, each was watching him out of the corner of their eyes.

Hood first went to the eye scanner. Two faint blue lasers crossed his eyes and his badge of rank. "Rank identified, identity accepted. Good morning Terrance Hood" The AI chirped over the vox caster. "Finger print and password now required. Enjoy the rest of your day Sir!" Lord Hood immediately put his thumb to another scanner where a red light scanned it. He finally leaned over to the intercom "Operation: Rebirth". At that the heavy duty door slowly opened. Stale air came out of the room, and the sound of engines working away could be heard inside.

"You have been guarding this hall for six years without question marines" Lord Hood said, as he motioned them to move forward with him "It's about time you get to see what is inside. No one, not even ONI knows exactly what is behind here. There could be automatic defence systems, be on your guard!". At that Lord Hood walked inside fallowed by the ODST troops. Each Marine advanced at a cautious pace, not quite as eagerly as before.

Inside, a thin layer of dust covered every surface. There were many machines inside, all flashing lights and ancient fly-belts. The technology all looked very, very outdated. The marines didn't know how old it was, but t didn't take an engineer to tell that it wasn't modern. They looked around with eager eyes. Several of the machines were inactive, and looked like they died years ago.

"Where are the lights?" One of the Marines whispered as they walked in. The others didn't answer, one took out a torch that hung by his belt. They all followed Hood, who was heading towards a machine at the end of the room, a faint red glow emanating from it. This time it was not an old rusted computer, but a large Cryo-Chamber holding a shadowy figure surrounded by ice. The life support machines accompanying the system did not match the rest of the tech in the room. They looked far more advanced and appeared to be functioning perfectly. "Remarkable, don't you think? They must have been working nonstop for 500 years and yet, they look as if they were manufactured just last week".

Hood was correct, the monochrome surfaces of the machines hadn't rusted at all. Not even any dust coated them, however that was possible. The machines defied reason, and the scientists couldn't wait to start experimenting on them. Unfortunately they had strict orders not to touch anything until the occupant of the ancient Cryo-Chamber had left the facility.

"Wh…who is that?" one the Marines asked as he gazed at the chamber, almost pressing his face against the glass. The figure was tall and looked very muscular. He seemed to be holding something round, held across his chest, like a shield. Lord Hood just gave a small chuckle before he picked up a piece of dusty paper that was lying next to him, upon one of the machines. The ink had long since faded and sections of the paper disintegrated as he handled it. _"A Shame" _Hood thought in disappointment, it was pointless wondering about the information it may have once possessed.

"Tell me marines, what do you know about the Second World War?" Hood said as he turned to join his men. The marines exchanged glances, where was Hood going with this? "It was the last major terrestrial war on earth sir" One of the Marines said, snapping into action "It occurred as a result of the aftermath of the First World War, and was waged between the Allies and the Axis powers, Japan and Nazi Germany!" He explained, rather proud that he knew his history so well, or so he thought!

"Yes...that is what our schools teach today isn't it?" Hood said as he looked around the room a little. "But there is another part of that story, one that isn't taught in class rooms. One that started the Spartan Programme" Hood said as he walked over to the chamber.

Everyone in the room including the ODST troops looked around, not knowing what on earth the Second World War had to do with 2554 or the Spartan Programme. Yet if Hood said it was important, it was important.

"During the war, Germany was developing Nuclear weapons, Japan Jet Technology, even the Russians and other minor European nations were working on amazing new aviation and rocket propulsion technology. America, the richest nation of them all, perfected all these later in the war. But they made something else, something that none of them could. Using genetic engineering they made the first ever Super Soldier" Hood walked up to the chamber and started to wipe away the frost and dust on the chamber.

"This was Captain America" Hood explained, whipping away the frost and dust near the head. The clear glass revealed a man with a blue mask. It bore small valkyrie wings on the sides of his head, and a large A placed across the forehead. "In many ways, this man is the progenitor of all the Spartans. He was one of the inspirations that drove scientists like Dr Catherine Halsey to develop them. Indirectly, this man is responsible for saving humanity from the Covenant".

None of the troops knew what to say. They all thought Captain America was long dead, lost along with all the other wonders of the 21st century. A powerful virus created by China had wiped out the super humans of the western world. The terrible act had amongst other events lead eventually to the interplanetary wars. "How…how was he possible?" one of the ODST asked.

"Genetic engineering, trooper". Hood immediately replied "The UN banned all genetic engineering projects perpetrated on human beings towards the end of the 20th century, healthy moral laws the UN still upholds to this day. The people that worked on the good captain here conducted all their work before those sanctions had taken hold. They never had the same handicaps our Spartan Programme possessed". Hood explained as he punched a few buttons, then backed up a couple of steps.

"I've just activated the defrost sub-routine...now two things might happen. The Captain is going to be dead after being frozen for so long or…he is going to attack us. Whatever you do, do not kill him! ONI will have our heads if anything happens to him" Hood warned, backing up just a few more steps. The aging commander wasn't in the condition, or the mood for fighting a powerful super soldier and his indestructible shield. He personally believed the old heroes' reputation had to be exaggerated, and surely his shield wasn't actually indestructible? The _Titanic_ and the _Pillar of Autumn_ had been 'indestructible'!

All would be revealed in good time; he was sure that ONI had plenty of plans for Captain America.

All the troops looked at each other not quite knowing what they should do. "Um…sir, what should we actually do if he attacks?" An ODST troop asked as he lifted his shotgun, watching as the ice slowly disappeared from inside the Cryo-Chamber. Hood stood there impassively, loosening to holster of his magnum, just in case. "Just don't do anything stupid..."


	2. The Old Fashioned Way

Chapter 2: The Old Fashioned Way!:

_I am lying on a metal table, my shield across my chest as I watch the scientist dart around me. My name is Steven Rogers, or as the world knows me, Captain America. I am in a secret S.H.I.E.L.D base hidden far underground. Only level 8 and 9 agents know it exists. There are only two Level 9 agents in the world, and only five level 8 agents. I am a Level 9 agent; the other is my long-time friend, Nick Fury: The son of my long dead friend, Jack Fury._

_"Only a few more moments Cap" Said Nick Fury, stood by my side, watching on as the scientists work feverently on me. Nick looked worried; he wasn't even smoking his traditional cigar. "It almost seems unreal" I said. "I have to admit, I'm nearly as nervous as I was on D-Day". Nick simply raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Huh! If you think this is unreal Cap imagine what it might be like when you wake up" Nick laughed half heartily, but I knew he was trying to hide what he felt. _

_He was worried about me, his old friend, he was uncomfortable at the thought of sending me into an unknown, uncertain future, worried that he wouldn't be there for me in times of need. But he knew what had to be done._

_One of the scientists walked over to me and smiled. I know him; his name is Reed Richards. One of the most intelligent people I have ever met. He has a good heart and an even greater brain, sometimes I wish he would listen more to his heart._

_"How are you feeling Steve?" he asked me, pacing a gentle hand on my __shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Well Richard, how is everything going?" I didn't know what I wanted him to say. I don't want to go, not really. I hate the idea of being frozen again, ever since World War II. I hate ice, I can't even order drinks anymore with ice in in them! Not without all the terrible memories of the past flooding back, everything that I have lost. I lost everything that terrible day._

_"Everything is going better than expected Steve, you shouldn't even feel the effects of the ice, a small weight on your soldiers, then blackout, the drugs we give you should make you completely numb to the ice, and if Bruce and I are correct, you should even be able to dream" Richard smiled as he walked back over to a computer. _

_Steven just nodded, that bit of news he did like. When he was frozen during World War II he didn't dream, he couldn't dream. The plane failing, falling, knowing that death was coming, than the crash, and the cold, the terrible cold, slowly losing consciousness, knowing this was the end...than waking up to a bunch of S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists and being thrust into the strange and downright noisy 21__st__ century, ready to save the world once again! This was going to be nice, to have years of uninterrupted dreaming._

_The other scientist comes up to me, placing electrodes and sensors around my pod. "Now Steve, we don't know how your body will react for being frozen for so long, so keep this in mind. 'The First step is a Woozy'" Bruce Banner laughed, trying to break the tension. Everyone looked at him with an angry stare. "Right…wrong time" he admitted, as he continued to punch numbers and turn dials. A few moments of uneasy silence past, the only sounds were those of button punching and the soft hum of machines._

_"Hey Cap, some of your…high end friends wanted you to have a few things" Nick said as he walked to the other side of the room and pulled out a medium size suitcase. Steven simply looked over in happy surprise. I had asked for no fuss, he didn't want to get emotional over the situation, but he only felt joy at the sight of their lovely gestures._

_I received many gifts from different heroes I knew. Thor gave me a tiny piece of his hammer Mjolnir to help me though my journey, wherever the future would take me, Thor would be there for me. Iron man gave me the Mk I ARC reactor, the power system from his very first iron man suit. The Punisher sent gave me a US marine Infantry patch, a bird of paradise's purple feather from Clint, Hawkeye. And from Nick fury, a picture of his father. But what about the Black Widow? What about Natasha? "NICK! WAIT! Don't you freeze him yet you sons of bitches!" Breaking his train of thought the lady herself came barging through the door. How had she found the facility? Huh! Amazing what a top S.H.I.E.L.D. spy in love is capable of!_

"_Natasha! You do not have clearance to this area. You know I'm going to have to ask you to leave" She then gave Nick an icy stare, it was as if she was about to slap him! ''Not without saying goodbye Nick, only to say goodbye to him!" Steve's eyes welled up with emotion. His love's face was also flushed, but she refused to cry, even for him. Too tough, too proud: One of the reasons why Steve loved her so much. So much had happened since the avengers, she and Clint had always just been friends. So much had happened, and Natasha couldn't let him go without saying goodbye. _

_She glided over to the Cryo-Chamber leaning over, her beautiful, sorrowful eyes staring right back at his. Her flawless long, red hair dangled over her face, obscuring her cheeks, tickling Steve's face as it fell down over her shoulders. "Don't you forget me Steven. Remember the times we spent together, the avengers. All those memories, all those feelings. Don't forget me Steven" A single tear trickled down her pale cheek. "I will never forget you Natasha, we may meet again and if we do then w-" She stopped him with a kiss, full on his lips, throwing her arms around him. It lasted what to him felt like an eternity. It was wonderful, so moving. A parting gift from her after all. As she finally broke away from him, she stared deep into his eyes, as if identifying every emotion playing through her lovers' eyes. "Don't do that to me Steve, to us. Just remember tough guy, and good luck". She placed another gentle kiss on his lips, than a final one on his cheek. Then she broke away from their loving embrace. She was ready._

_"Do you still want to do this?" Richards said, his face creased with concern, suddenly realising all that the cap was giving up by doing this. "I need to" He simply said. Reed nodded, and turned to face Banner, who was at the controls "Okay Cap, and good luck!" Bruce managed to say, his voice somewhat cracking. "Goodbye old friend" Cap replied, Bruce was always serious when it really, really mattered "Here" Nick said, sticking his hand out to shake. "I don't know if I'll see you again. So unlike last time, goodbye Steve, your one of my greatest friends" Nick said his voice holding back all the emotions he felt at that moment. "You too Nick, good luck" It was all he could manage. As he shook his hand firmly, Reed stuck a thick needle into Cap's arm. Letting go of his friend, in more ways than one, Captain America stuck his hand back under his shield again and gave the room a final look. Than the glass cover descended, and vapours condensed around him. As the mist thickened and turned to ice, his mind began to go dark._

_"This is goodbye…I hope…they…are going…to be ok..."__ Captain America thought as his mind became numb, and soon he was asleep._

The ice around Captain America started to defrost. His muscles began to twitch as they got warmer. Then his eyes flew open. He looked around, his vision blurry. Even with his body numb and his senses poor, he could sense and 'feel' the guns pointed at him. As his vision cleared he finally saw who was in front of him. They weren't S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, or American service men for that matter. Nick had promised that he would be greeted by men dressed in the same uniforms as before as so to calm him down when he finally awoke.

He knew something was terribly wrong. Training kicked in, instinct dictated his actions and his superhuman mind began to assimilate the details of his surroundings. Possible hostiles: 16 soldiers, 4 non-combatants, possibly scientists. Unit of seven in front of me – one commander, two elites, four others. Other individuals, no cohesion: Four elites, four 'scientists', five others. Taking in all the data, now aware of every single detail inside the chamber. This whole thought process took around three seconds.

He was uneasy, he didn't recognise the uniforms. Who were they? They reminded him of Hydra soldiers. Were they Hydra Soldiers? Cap didn't know what was happening and decided it was a better idea to go on the offensive then to get shot. He pushed with all his might at the door in front of him. The glass fractured, the supporting frame came off completely and the whole structure came flying towards Hood and his marines. All they could do was jump back before they were crushed under heavy duty Pyrex and aluminium.

As he leaped out of the machine, the ODST who was standing with Hood vaulted over the twisted Cryo-Chamber door, and charged at him, attempting to with strain him. Captain America took a basic combat stance, like a heavyweight boxer, fist and shield waiting. _"Come and get it!"_ The old soldier thought. The shield came forward and before he knew what had hit him, the ODST received a swift blow to side of his helmet. It bent the military grade titanium-a alloy and fractured the visor completely. The unconscious trooper was thrown fast to the left, flung into the air by the sheer power of the attack. At least his armour had stopped his neck from breaking.

One marine fired off his SAW trying to hit Caps' legs, but Captain America lunged down with his shield deflecting the bullets: Too easy. Cap charged, his shield smashing into the trooper, who had foolishly stood his ground. Shattering his nose and goggles, he crunched into the glass ridden floor with a grunt of pain. Another ODST trooper zeroed in his shotgun, aiming straight at the Captain's chest. He had an open shot free of the shield, and he took it. The high velocity shrapnel flew at him, hitting him straight in the chest, but the pellets deflected harmlessly off his jumpsuit. A couple of pellets actually flew back hitting two of the marines, who were unharmed. Lord Hood, watching as the action unfolded simply raised an eyebrow. _"More than just a flashy outfit!" _He thought.

Winded, and knowing his suit wouldn't take the same hit twice, Captain America charged. Accelerating faster even than a Spartan's capable of, he sprant towards the ODST with supernatural speed and punched him before he could fire the second shell off. His fist shattered his visor with ease. The unconscious trooper slumped into the ground. Steven Rogers Jumped back against a wall, shield flanking his body ready for the next assault which he knew was about to come.

"Captain please! Calm down" Lord Hood pleaded, trying to calm down the Super Solder now that he'd seen enough of his men get hurt by the man, but to no avail. Two more ODST troopers jumped on Captain America, tacking him to the ground.

"Hit him for fuck sakes!" One shouted, a third trooper standing above the sprawling men raised his Battle Rifle, ready to strike him with the heavy butt of his weapon. Captain America was filled with rage and confusion, and utilizing his incredible strength yet again, he threw the two soldiers off of him. He then strafed forwards and launched a savage Muay Thai kick into the side of the third, shattering bone and armour with equal measure.

"Captain Steven Grant Rogers that is enough!" Lord Hood bellowed, as he watched Captain America grab the troop's gun from him, attempting to break it upon his knee. Cap drove towards the weapon, ready to break it in two as he had done so many times before. Then his knee stopped dead. The lightweight looking weapon heaved and buckled, and a couple of screws flew away from it, shattering a nearby computer monitor, but the weapon did not sheer completely. "AAAAHGH!" Rogers shouted, more in surprise than actual pain. His balanced collapsed as he brought his leg down, falling onto his left side. He looked in awe for a moment at the skeletal looking gun, then threw it on the ground and climbed back to his feet.

"Who are you people? Where am I...When am I?" Captain America shouted, adopting another combat stance. His mind was racing. He didn't know what was going on. He knew there were soldiers behind him getting ready to fight again. The others were knocked unconscious, or looked too dumbfounded to even attack him.

"My name is Lord Terrence Hood" He began, regaining his composure and holstering his pistol. "You are still in the Cryo-Chamber. There's no easy way of telling you this Captain, but you have been asleep for centuries. It is the year 2554, and it is a Wednesday. I swear my marines are not here to harm you. Stand down troopers!" Hood growled at his men. They had succeeded in protecting him from the angry super soldier. As the troopers lowered and holstered their weapons, he stepped forwards towards Captain America, holding his hands in front of him in a gesture of peace.

Captain America looked around, his head swam and confusion swept over him. He wasn't supposed to have been asleep this long; this…this was not what he had signed up to! Captain America took a few steps back and used one of the computers to support himself. "That's….this…this can't be real" It was happening all over again!


	3. Im No Future Man!

Chapter 3: I'm No Future Man:

_The whole situation seemed unbelievable. He had been thrust forward into the future once before, and that alone had been too unreal to believe. For it to happen a second time, to be thrown even further out of his own time...It was almost unthinkable!_

_He sat there with the Lord Hood, sat on one the titanium barricades just outside the Cryo-facility. More men had come down after the events of before. Tea and water had been provided, allowing him time to rehydrate, recover, clear his head and begin to come to terms with what had happened. Terrance Hood struck him as a kind man, but also hard and very dry. He reminded him very much of Nick Fury, same character, same responsibilities: If not greater responsibilities than the old director. _

As they sat there, sipping their tea, Earl Grey apparently! From their Thermos flasks, Lord Hood was personally cooling the Captain over. Hood felt the greatest sympathy for the old soldier. He could only imagine what the man was going through. He wondered who the man had lost...friends, family, loved ones? He thought it best not to ask those questions.

"I just can't come to terms with it all Terrance...I'm no future man, and I've lost everything that I had ever cared about". He confided in him, he'd pulled his mask down, his shield lying by his feet, right where the Captain had dropped it about ten minutes ago. "I understand what you're going through Steven, and I'm incredibly sorry for your-" "Oh! Do you know?" He interrupted "You understand how it feels, to have your life ripped away from you and destroyed, having nothing you can ever do about it? This has happened to me twice now! It's like a bad joke! It's just too unreal to believe that it's true".

Hood took the jab lightly, how could Captain America know about all that HE had lost? He still wasn't sure how to explain all that had humanity had gone through since his disappearance. "Being so far out of your time? That I can only imagine. Yet, don't be selfish enough to believe that you're the only human who has ever lost the things they care about. I had a family once, long ago, before they were taken from me".

Exited chatter from the group of scientists standing not ten yards away took their attention. They were analysing scans that they had taken of the good Captain not five minutes ago. The babble decided to move on deeper into the compound, lights had been erected inside now, and the Stoney glances coming their way from Lord Hood and his remarkable companion convinced them that moving on was the best course of action.

That shock confession had snapped the Cap out of his self-pity, he scolded himself, silently. For forgetting that there was a whole worlds worth of suffering out there across the nations of the world. He wondered if America was still the world superpower. Had another old, or new one overtaken it? Were children still starving to death in the future?

"Do you mind if I ask how they died?" He asked. Using all the sincerity he could muster. Lord Hood took a deep breath and bowed his head as he was overwhelmed by melancholy, remembering better times "I have long since come to terms with their deaths" He removed his cap, and held it in his old and gentle hands. "Life was so good back then. As a lord of the British Isles and an Admiral of the Fleet I have access to a very privileged lifestyle. I was able to provide my family with everything they could ever need. My two daughters received the best education. And we set up a beautiful Chateau in one of the most beautiful valleys on Harvest."

Captain America shot him a look of confusion "Harvest? Is that a holiday resort?" Lord Hood's face creased up and he sniggered wheezily at the remark, "Oh! Captain you have no idea! If you think a lot had changed when you first stepped foot in the 21st century, than you're not going to believe how far humanity has come in the past 500 years". Steven Rogers smiled, Hood wasn't dry at all! He just took his duties seriously. Cap gave him a look as if to say, _"Go on, tell me...I dare you!" _"I've seen and heard a lot in my time sir. surprise me!" Hood smiled broadly. "A hundred credits says you're wrong!" The joke reminded Steven of one of the first things Nick Fury said to him, how had that turned out? With him ten dollars out of pocket! "I won't bet on it Hood, but I still want you to try"

"Very well Captain. For one thing, Harvest is not a Holiday resort, nor is it a province. Harvest is a human occupied agricultural world, second from the terrestrial sun of the Epsilon Indi System approximately ten thous-" That was the inevitable point where Captain America interrupted him "Wait, what?" His eyes wide with wonder and surprise. "Harvest is on another God damn planet?" He could scarcely believe what he was hearing.

He'd seen men fly and level whole towns. He'd met aliens and demi-gods - Asgardians, Eternals, Skrulls and Kree. S.H.I.E.L.D. had concealed all four races existences so well, he doubted Lord Hood and the rest of the human race still didn't know that they were out there. Possessing Level 9 S.H.I.E.L.D. security, he'd viewed NASA's blueprints for moon and asteroid bases first hand. How far had humankind come in all this time? "Yes Captain, Harvest was the most remote colony in human occupied space, the Indi star system is located at is approximately ten thousand light years away from earth".

Shock number two, he was beginning to feel sorry that he had asked. "Ten thousand light years? How is that possible?" He was starting to feel very out of his depth. He now doubted whether he would even understand the answers to his ignorant questions.

Hood was starting to make a fine habit of having to explain such things to soldiers, perhaps he should begin charging a fee for his teaching services? But as much as he wanted to answer the Captain America's questions, he possessed neither the security clearance nor the time required to do so – ONI couldn't be kept waiting, he had to move Rogers on. "It would appear that far more has happened than you ever thought possible Steven Rogers, and I'm not sure that I have the wisdom to adequately explain 500 years of very sensitive human history". Cap reabsorbed his emotion, accepting the difficulty of the current situation. "I understand" Cap simply replied. Hood gazed at the man in wonder, what a puzzle the man was, he simply couldn't work out if he was just a simple soldier, or someone with far more depth of mind.

"You are a rare man Steven Rogers, selfless and indomitable. The kind of man humanity needs right now. I don't think that you are a man out of time just yet Captain. Whilst humanity has broken free from the confines of earth and spread out amongst the stars, we haven't changed all that much since the 21st century. One thing that hasn't changed is humanities need for heroes in times of need. Neither the impatience of her governments. The decision to have you unfrozen Steven was not taken lightly. The UN needs you, and humanity needs you. The year 2554 is a very dark time for human kind. You were frozen for one reason, to be woken up when humanity needed you again. Forget the year Captain, humanity needs you right now!" As unsure as he felt about his future, Captain America knew he could never dismiss a plea for help of such sincerity. Whatever the reasons may be.

"If humanity still needs Captain America…then that's all that happens. No matter what the future holds, no matter where it may take me I will be there to serve humanity...wherever she may be, on earth or in space, I will be there for them. By God you have my word Lord Hood". It took a few moments for Lord Hood to get over his brave and selfless words, the sheer honesty alone was enough to stir emotion, deep within his very fibre. A small crowd had formed, marine and scientist had all stopped dead to listen to the remarkable conversation that was going on. "Well then Captain…I think it's about time we get out of these sewers…Don't you bone heads have anything better to do? Get back to your duties men!"

The huddle quickly dispersed, shuffling quietly away. Once they were alone, Hood continued "I will escort you to Alpha Site Captain. Above us is a major UNSC facility, it is run by ONI – The Office of Naval Intelligence: An organisation so secretive that not even top military brass such as myself have knowledge of what goes on behind their walls. They will interview and assess you. They will decide on the course your life may take from here". Captain America didn't like the sound of that. "You make me sound like I am the property of the state, a piece of military hardware!" Lord Hood stared at him dead in the eyes "You are not the property of the state Steven, and you are not a slave of ONI's. Once you part from my company Captain, you will be entirely at their mercy"

Hood's face was stern, his eyes dark with worry, he placed both his hands on Caps soldiers "You cannot trust those men Captain! Not under any circumstances. ONI are dangerous, and there is almost nothing they won't resort to. Nothing they aren't capable of. I don't know what will happen to you when you pass into their custody. And I will have no way of contacting you once you do. You may never leave that facility, they my conduct experiments on you. Hurt you, dehumanise you, the rest of the world simply won't know. All I know is that ONI cannot be trusted, and that you will not be safe when you are in their custody. According to military intelligence, you do not exist. Those marines you saw, will have their minds wiped of your existence. But I fear for you Steven, because a man who doesn't exists can't possess human rights. Be on your guard at all times, and if you fear that your life is in danger…run…for God sakes run!".

Fear and oppression: perhaps the world the world hadn't advanced, but regressed. Hood made these ONI types sound like Nazi's. Maybe Hood was only paranoid, the intelligence industry did a lot behind closed doors. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. occasionally got blood on their hands. Intelligence was a dirty business.

"I'll keep myself safe…you're a good man Terrance, I will not forget how good you have been to me, and for your advice". Hood's eyes twinkled, tears caused by the strain of multiple emotions. "Thank you, Steven Rogers. Know that if you are ever in need of me, that I will always be there to aid you…" The wording of the offer took Steve aback. It was exactly what Thor had said to him all those years ago.

He reached into a pouch on his right side, finding the mjolnir fragment. A dark smile spread across his face. He hoped that this ONI, whoever they were, were truly a force of good: only mistrusted, just as S.H.I.E.L.D. was long ago. He hoped ONI weren't as bad as Lord Hood feared, for if they were, and they went too far: Captain America would summon aid to his side that none of the 'spooks' would be able to even comprehend!

"…Anyway Captain. We aren't parted from each other just yet. Is there anything else you want to know about the 26th century? If the information isn't classified I would be happy to tell you about anything". His features were warm and inviting again, Hood had the ability to make you feel at ease under any and all circumstances. Captain America did have a question, he wondered if humanity had encountered any alien civilizations.

But first things first… "Do they still have Corn Dogs and waffles in the future?" The most important question of them all! Hood laughed out loud "Oh! Yes Captain, we do still have those in the future. You ought to try New Mombasa rolls, best darn snack you've ever eaten! One bite and you'll slide into a diabetic coma, forever!" The two warriors roared with laughter. What an odd sight it was, the neat and aged Lord of the King's Realm, and a man dressed in the American flag cracking jokes like a pair of schoolboys. They certainly turned a few heads inside the confines of the secret corridor. "Do you have any _SERIOUS_ questions to ask me Steven?" He breathed, wiping a tear of laughter from his left eye. "Go on then Hood. Tell me, because humanity has expanded so far into the heavens. Have we met any extra-terrestrials yet?"

"_Shit!" _Hood cursed in his head, the blood in his cheeks flooded out and his mouth went dry. Captain America couldn't have possibly asked a worse question. Hood simply couldn't give him the answer, it would break Stevens' heart for sure. "Some questions Captain, I think you should save for behind the walls of the Alpha Site…"


	4. Riddles and Darkness

Chapter 4: Riddles and Darkness:

"Dr Catherine Halsey, please step forward. Security clearance has been authorised and you are free to enter Site Alpha: God knows how and why? Thankfully your escort of guards have arrived. You will go to them immediately and be brought to the inner sanctum immediately. As I said…Please step forwards". Halsey shot the man a quick stare, than glanced away from him and passed through the last security checkpoint into Site Alpha.

She was lead, handcuffed by her escort of marines. They were private contractors of ONI, UNSC marines. ONI didn't have the legal right to generate their own soldiers and security personnel. Just like every other high profile organisation or corporation, they were completely dependent on the UNSC for providing them with security and guardsmen. It stopped major organisations such as ONI from becoming too powerful, another of the many safeguards which helped prevent rebellions from taking place.

Of course she, Catherine Halsey, had manufactured the ultimate safeguard against human rebellion, a system able to crush any inside threat to the UNSC: the Spartans, her Spartans. The ultimate soldier. The most efficient infantrymen possible with the tools at the UNSC's disposal. Of course, advanced weapons and equipment were useless unless wielded by soldiers, good soldiers: Even the MJOLNIR armour system, which cost as much as a standard frigate to produce, needed a pilot: And what pilots, what soldiers she had produced.

Her Spartans, like children to her, it hurt her that so many had died during the terrible war. Yet their sacrifices for humanity, and their memory would live on for eternity, and humanity would never forget those few who did so much: ONI bullshit aside, it seemed that Spartans truly didn't die.

So why did her government hate her so much? Oh! She had committed terrible crimes, yes! And those actions would haunt her forever…but she would never submit to guilt. Her work, saved humanity, all the top military brass and ONI bastards seemed to forget that. But as much as the betrayal hurt her, she did not hate these men and women, she accepted the hardships she would have to face because of her terrible actions. She would forgive them all, and she would never want revenge. She only wished they could be a little God damn grateful for saving all their hides!

She remembered that soul crushing interrogation so well, how they had scolded her for her transgressions and devalued her Spartans to such low levels of worth: Treating them not as people and as heroes, but as pieces of military equipment. Her Spartans were priceless, they were not expendable:

_Sat once again inside the same interrogation room, how many times had spooks and smooth talkers come to drag her out of her cell? She'd actually lost count, but it didn't matter, so long as it would be over soon. Whilst she sat there, inside the dimly lit room, a one way glass panel behind her, with cameras and eye balls boring into the back of her head. Whilst she sat there, she reflected upon the beginnings of the Spartan programme. It was the first time she had ever seen the children who would become her Spartans, the 300, sat and sleeping patiently inside their equally Spartan decontamination chambers. Only a pillow, a basic lamp, similar to the one hanging above her now, and a thin bed sheet to prevent them from freezing to death inside of the cold warehouse. _

_This had been the first time she had seen John. How far he had come since that day: The pale young boy covered in freckles. Whilst all the others had been sleeping, he had been sat bolt upright for hours. She recalled so well their first meeting, for the look of the boy had affected her so strongly. His piercing stare, so powerful even hardened marines and ODST's would be forced, as if by some ancient sorcery, to turn away from those piercing blue eyes of his. From that moment on, she had known that John, and the others like him, would be destined for greatness._

"_Dr Halsey?" The interrogator had asked her again, his voice swathe and charming, like milk and honey, but also hard and with impossible authority. Perhaps this man would glean the 'truth' that ONI so desperately craved from her? No chance, she would never give them the satisfaction. "Tell me about the children Catherine". She had given him nothing but an icy stare at first, but he had disarmed her with a charming smile. She would give him a little more. "What about the children?" She had replied, replying with all the emotion that a mother might do if they were talking about her actual flesh and blood. She had a daughter, 'had', Miranda Keyes: KIA. She like herself had never married, and she had only met Miranda but the once._

"_Dr Halsey?" The interrogator was faking frustration, he had all day. He hoped that Halsey would take the bait and give him something to work on, like a tool which with to extract information from her. "You already know everything". Halsey had shut the door on him, he brushed off the minor setback, continuing as if nothing had happened. "You kidnapped them?" A question they had asked her every time, she would tell them why the same way she had since the first time. "Children's' minds are more easily accepting of indoctrination, their bodies more adaptable to augmentation. The result was the ultimate soldier. And because of our success, when the Covenant invaded, we were ready". The same lie she used every time they asked her that question, time and time again. "Dr Halsey you're bending history for your own favour and you know it!" Agent Coulson stood up from his seat, and paced around the room in his usual manner. It was a tried and tested interrogation technique, effective at establishing dominance over a prisoner, as well as calming his nerves. "You developed the Spartans to crush human rebellion, not to fight the Covenant". _

_Halsey almost wanted to spit at the man, but she held back her contempt, she had always known she would have to face such hypocrism from such people: Little did she know that this was all an act from Coulson, who held no real contempt for her, but played his part so convincingly that not even Halsey suspected deception. "When one human world after another fell. When my Spartans were all that stood between humanity and extinction…nobody was concerned about why they were originally created". _

_She couldn't help but take his comments to heart. She was playing right into his hands now. Coulson pressed home his advantage. "So, you feel in the end that your choices were…justified?" That was exactly how she felt "My work saved the human race" The Spartans certainly were a major contributing factor to humanities survival, Coulson admitted, but Halsey was really full of herself to believe that she was the sole architect of that survival. "Do you think that the Spartans' lack of humanity helped them achieve their mission?" The question took her off guard, she was not expecting the interrogation to go down this route… "What are you after? The others before you were naval intelligence but you…your something else…" Coulson continued on, taking full advantage of the change in momentum in the interrogation. _

"_Records show that Spartans routinely exhibited mildly sociopathic tendencies, difficulties with socialisation, further difficulties wit-" "The records show efficient behaviour when operating in hazardous situations. I supplied the tools to maintain that efficiency" She interrupted him, all of this was subjective depending on which point of view you took. Coulson also knew this, Halsey could keep this argument going for all eternity. Did she mistrust the intelligence services so much that she would resists their efforts so rigorously? He kept pushing the point. "Do you therefore believe that the Master Chief succeeded because he was at his core broken?" He had made headway before when criticising her 'children'. "What does John have to do with this?"._

_Than Halsey had an idea, a theory about what this man, or whoever he worked for was after: She didn't like what she sensed. Then, with a moment of complete shock, she worked out exactly what he wanted from her "You want to replace him? Don't you?" Coulson now believed he had her cooperation "The Master Chief is dead, Dr Halsey" May he rest in peace forever, Coulson thought silently "His file reads missing in action!" She still wasn't cooperating, Coulson shook his head in disbelief. She simply refused to face reason. "Catherine: Spartan's never die" He sighed, reciting the old lie as if in a manner that was asking her to come to her senses…But Halsey knew more than he ever could…_

They just didn't see it, did they? Her Spartans were the next stage in human evolution. Humanities next step, as a species. She knew never to underestimate her Spartans, and she did wonder, if John, her John was still alive out there, somewhere in the cold of space…

"…So, that's how all the nations of the world finally came together…people back then wouldn't have ever believed it possible. That everyone could put aside their differences and work towards the greater good of all humanity..." He could scarcely believe it, he had never truly known if humanity was a force for good or evil. Captain America had certainly seen both sides in his time. The world had once been dominated by dictators. Hitler, Mussolini, the Nazis and other totalitarian fascist and communist systems. Even his own side had committed many evils – he had been created for one. The 21st century had been no better, Saddam Husain, Assad, terrorist factions such as the Taliban and the savage pirates of Somalia. Now none of that! "Yes Captain" Lord Hood continued.

"To this day, after 400 years of human advancement and all our achievements to date, the irradiation of disease, of cancer and the creation of the Slip-space drive. I personally hold the irradiation of disease as the greatest. Children no longer die from leukaemia or starve to death and suffer terrible plagues in Asia and Africa. Humanity has the potential to solve all problems and evils that beset her, and power to do so much good in the world…so long as we continue to pull together in the face of all doubts and hardships. It isn't perfect, many people still cling to the old notions of independence for independences sake. Radical groups and terrorist cells who wish to undermine the values of the united world order. We admire and understand their reasons, but ultimately we can never agree with their selfish views."

It was a good system, the Captain thought. He personally didn't agree with the loss of national independence, yet being the selfless hero he was, he thought the notion of all men pulling together for the sake of bettering the entire human race was such a wonderful notion to uphold. The world's nations hadn't lost their unique heritage and culture, they still had that, and diversity seemed to be even better accepted and celebrated than ever before. Discrimination and stereotypes were practically non-existent, he himself almost felt backward and intolerant compared to these people. Were these terrorists and rebels so selfish that they refused to help their fellow man – or was there something darker to the UNSC that they knew and he didn't?

"And now, Steven, I believe this is where we part ways, welcome to ONI site Alpha" The United States had had such obvious intelligence services, the Pentagon and many others like it at S.H.I.E.L.D. and other organisations. "I'll assume that the facility is underground sir, all I see is an elevator shaft". "Humanity has learned that military and intelligence infrastructure that is constructed on the surface had a habit of being destroyed, in an age where orbital bombardment is as common a feature of war as automatic weapons fire, it's no longer feasible to build such important facilities on the surface. Modern sites are like fortresses, and major facilities such as site Alpha are designed to survive apocalyptic attacks. The accepted toughness is at least being able to withstand a 100 megaton explosion".

There was something Hood wasn't telling him. For common infrastructure to be built in such a manner stank of paranoia. And would not be built in such a manner if they were not expecting such an assault. Terrorists were not capable of such a thing. And the rest of humanity was at peace. What wasn't Hood telling him? He knew it was terrible, he believed his new ally just didn't have the heart to tell him what. Perhaps ONI would not be so shy with the truth? "Your escort is here now. They will have just finished with escorting Halsey".

"Halsey, who is that Terrance?" Cap asked. "Dr Catherine Halsey, one of the leading scientists in the UNSC and now a notorious war criminal". 'Now' a notorious war criminal? Something recent had occurred? This added even more greatly to his suspicions. He could tell Hood was simply protecting him from the truth. How terrible was the recent past that he would keep hidden from him? He wouldn't trouble Lord Hood with questions he didn't want to answer. But as soon as he got to ONI, there would have to be some truths being told.

The squad of marines was standing there, waiting for orders, Cap was attracting many eyes, he was attracting too much attention to himself. .It was time to go. He turned to say his farewell to Hood "It's not necessary Steve. I hope we will meet soon. I know a great bar not ten minutes from here. Maybe we'll meet each other soon under less formal a situation. Please watch out for ONI". Steve shook his hand "Thanks for your advice" He smiled, than turned to meet his escort. "Marines! Move out!" The Sergeant called out, Captain America was lead into the elevator. Hood had already turned to go: Probably had more work to get on with, he thought. That was the last of daylight Steven Rogers saw for quite a while.


	5. Modern Living

Chapter 5: Modern Living:

"Do you see now why we freed you from your imprisonment Dr Halsey" The ONI director of biosciences continued. "The capabilities of subject X-277B/WMD/C2-" "Yes, yes! Captain America!" Was this a subtle continuation of her punishment for her crimes? Having to listen to the pointless babbling of this cyborg? Even if so, she would have to endure it, there was work to be done. "The crude bio-scans that your team managed to take of him are hardly revealing director. Captain America was a genetic experiment. Simple anatomy scans providing me with height, biomass and muscle tone are as good as useless. I could be looking at an Olympic athlete for all I know! I need cellular study, genome analysis and two dozen other procedures to fully determine his capabilities. Although I must admit…" She switched back to the much more entertaining security footage "…looking back at this, he seems to be very moody when he gets up on a morning! He certainly made short work of your escorting security team"

For all his cybernetic implants Director Daniel Carter still felt emotion, and he felt a significant level of irritation when interacting with Dr Halsey. Fight fire with fire: He shut down his implants, he would rely completely on his biology for this… "Yes, yes Catherine. You've showed me this embarrassing footage already. My own personal guard! I suddenly don't feel very safe at night knowing that they're all that stands between me and Brute infiltrators. But your right about the scans, all we know about him is that he is in great physical shape"

"Finally, a human appears to have entered the room!" She sighed, sarcastically. "I can tell you've turned you damn implants off. Now look at this…" She slowed down the footage of the Cryo-Chamber fight, skipping to the section of footage where he launched his savage Muay Thai kick. "Watch the data when I use a sub-programme to measure the quantitate anatomy of the strike" Data and facts flew over the screen, she then transferred the data and footage segment to a HUD in order to properly display the data. "His kick completely bypasses the ODST's armour. ODST armour uses a thin but similar composite layout to the MOLJNIR system, and he nearly renders it useless"

Director Carter removed his reading glasses and examined the data intently. "Remarkable Halsey. Well and truly remarkable. Look at the acceleration of the assault. The power of the attack is unreal…5500 kilos of force per square centimetre. That's higher overall than most Spartans are capable of...but that's not the remarkable thing. It's the perfection of the kick that astounds me. I've seen Shaolin monks strike a line of nine wooden blocks and break only the centre piece of wood. Somehow focussing the energy of the attack at a specific point inside of the target. Cap's doing the same. 89% of the generated energy bypasses the armour completely, the poor son of a bitch inside pretty much felt the whole kick!"

Halsey was deeply impressed. How remarkable it was that the 20th century was capable of producing such an incredible individual. Whether or not his feats were due to a lifetime of training or superhuman dexterity, they needed to figure out what. "We need to test him for all his worth" She answered "I believe that the Captain has top priority over all the projects your department branch is currently working on..."

...He reckoned that they must have passed down at least twenty stories before reaching the end of the narrow elevation shaft. He reckoned it was about that, although it was very difficult to tell underground. "Welcome to ONI, Captain America. We hope that you will find your time here most productive and that you will be happy and comfortable here. We simulate night and day here, and even have our own rain. During the festival of Christmas we will simulate snow for your and everyone else's own personal pleasure. Enjoy your day!"

Cap jumped a little, he didn't know who was speaking at first, but then he remembered Iron Man's advanced computer, Jarvis. "Don't worry Captain. That's just Jarvis, the building's AI welcoming you here…computers didn't speak in your day, did they?" One of the marines piped up, attempting to explain to him what was happening.

Cap smirked a little. What a remarkable coincidence that this speaking machine was also called Jarvis. "I know it was the computer soldier, some of them did speak in my day too" It was the marines' time to feel surprised now, was he referring to some cutting edge system that had been lost, long ago? He didn't really care, but it was still interesting.

The Site Alpha facility was one of the most remarkable places Cap had ever seen. It was an underground metropolis, like if all of Manhattan had been moved underground. A secret world that the general public new nothing about. Vehicles were zipping to and throw about the place, tramlines and high speed trains held aloft upon powerful superconductors travelling at phenomenal speeds. Cap didn't know how fast they were going, but it was actually five kilometres below the speed of sound. The trains could do triple that, but their speed was limited. Producing a sonic boom down hear would be utterly catastrophic!

The buildings were sleek and seamlessly crafted, there wasn't a rivet or weld in sight. It was as if the skyscrapers, power stations and science labs had been grown, not built here, and they hung from the walls and ceiling of the great cavern. Just like the beautiful quartz and amethyst stones that surrounded them.

Lights reflected off of monochrome walls and platinum monuments, and with all the crystals and the lights being thrown about the place produced an astonishing, and equally as dazzling lights display. Some of the light seemed to accumulate around certain buildings, where the clusters of ancient crystals grew thick, and stayed there, trapped as if in an endless cycle of dance-like refraction. The buildings that stood there were the most beautiful of them all, for so much light accumulated that they glowed like second suns, as if the very walls had been built from light itself.

That was not all, for it was not a barren and lifeless world down here, trees and ferns were scattered across the complex, pure spring water fed glorious canals and aqueducts held aloft upon glorious arches. Finely crafted water features surrounded the boat filled water ways, and peaceful gondolas glided across their calm waters, surrounded by tranquil gardens and parks.

The other thing that struck him was the heat. So far down underground, he was surprised it wasn't hotter. Even so, it had to be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit down here. He was sweating a little under his tight uniform, so he pulled his mask off of his face to ease the discomfort. The marines weren't faring any better. Apart from the heat, the place was a paradise. "You like the place Cap?" Another marine asked "The city was built for humans to evacuate to, in the event that-" Another marine jabbed him hard in the chest. Giving him an icy stare, as if saying _"Don't tell him about the Covenant! He doesn't know" _The marine stopped dead"In the event of what?" Cap asked. Than the sergeant took control of the conversation "Built in the event of a natural disaster, like a super volcano, or an asteroid strike. That way, we could save millions of people, people who would otherwise die" It was a sound idea, such a thing would work.

It was an almost perfect world, a place where the running of empire could quite literally take place. The UNSC was not an empire of conquest, but of diplomacy: And if this was the result of that successful world, maybe the values of the UNSC were worth fighting for. But this was only its external appearance, Cap would have to experience the inner workings of this world in order to fully decide where his allegiances lay.

As his escort took him though another of the facilities security terminals, another individual approached them "Captain America! It is good that you agreed to come to ONI. I am agent Daniel Coulson. I'm happy to tell you that I will be your guardian whilst you spend your time here. If there is anything you struggle to deal with about modern life at any point, any technologies you are unfamiliar with for instance, and for every other need or request you may have, it will be my responsibility to see to them whenever they are possible" The man was very formal, it was just the way things were done here.

"Thanks" He replied "Agent Coulson was it?" Remarkable coincidence number two…he would have to have a lie down if these kept happening. "Yes that's right Steven. Is that important for any reason?" Sensing his reaction to the new information. "Oh no, not really. I had a friend by that name, long ago" He replied, brushing off the melancholy of the memories that this dredged up. "Phillip Coulson, he worked for the intelligence industry too" "Oh really? What a coincidence! Perhaps he was an ancestor of mine? I've never looked into my family history really" "You probably wouldn't have found anything on him if he was a relation" Cap replied "Phil was a senior operative, his personal information would have been deleted from most databases across the US"

It did interest the Cap whether or not this man was related to his old friend. Phil had never married, he'd been killed by Loki before he'd found someone. But that didn't mean he had never had children. "A shame then" Coulson finished, but ONI had a colossal database, he would be surprised if there was nothing at all on the man.

"Anyway Captain. There's a lot of work to be getting on with. There are many people round here who are just dying to meet you. I can't wait to see what you're capable of. Imagine how the others are feeling?" Cap wasn't sure about this, "Who would you be talking about?" "Scientists, generals and soldiers. An ad-hoc group of people to say the least". Cap was sure used to that – the Avengers had to be the most unusual team of individuals conceived before or since. But oh what they were capable of, what did this team have in store for him? He couldn't shift Lord Hood's comments from his mind.

"It'll be pretty much what you could expect from a research team. Physical trials and simulated combat. Medical examinations and numerous tests. They do not plan on harming you Cap, you'll be glad to know. Even so, some of it might not be pleasant. Always remember that you're a human being with human rights, and if you do not give consent at any point, they cannot do anything. Also, it is my job to present your case and point of view at any and all times. But they will not harm you Cap. Men like you are not replaceable, and the world needs heroes right now." "So I keep hearing Daniel. I'll always be there for the human race, that you have my word. But I need to know what I'm dealing with".

He couldn't put his finger on it. In a world where nearly all humanity stood together as one, there was no possibility for terrible wars. Rebellion and terrorism existed, but these did not constitute the same level as threat that the people he encountered seemed to believe was out there. What was out there?

"I need to know just what the hell is going on Daniel. There is something massive, something terrible that people are refusing to tell me about the world…or the galaxy, or whatever" Agent Coulson stopped walking, and breathed out in a great sigh. The next hour or so was going to be very difficult. "There is so much that you will have to be brought up to speed on in order to get on with your life again. And you won't have to wait any longer. This is where you will be living during your time here"

Coulson was gesturing towards a large looking building just in front of them. It had a lovely garden, full of flowers and trees of oak and willow. It was a three storied villa, it reminded him a little of what the modern houses produced by Germany. Minimalist and cuboid, but also sleek and beautiful.

It matched the surrounding structures, but it looked a little out of place amongst the sprawling sub-urban metropolis "Has this place been especially built for-" "For you? It has been Steven. Style has come a long way in 500 years, and this is the only design from the 20th century that roughly matches the continuity of the city. It's been outfitted in a way we believe you will find very homely, I hope you'll like it". Prepared especially for him? They had to value his presence massively in order to go to this much trouble. It wasn't quite his cup of tea, but it was it sure was a wonderful house "Come inside Cap, I'll give you the tour of the place". Cap simply nodded, he still hadn't gotten over the fact that this was all for him, he was very touched by the gesture.

When they walked inside, Cap was greeted by a light and airy atmosphere. "Welcome back Captain. My name is Selina. I am your standard residential AI and I very much hope that you will like the place. I can perform any task you may require, and provide you with every service you could possibly desire". Cap wasn't sure he'd ever get used to machines speaking to him. But he valued the practical application of the system. He'd gotten used to them at S.H.I.E.L.D. and Stark Industries, now they appeared to be as common as electric lights and running water. "It's like having a maid, PA and butler rolled all into one Cap. You can utilize Selina whenever you want to. I can have her shut down if you'd like?"

Cap wasn't listening too much, he was admiring the new house. It was well lit and cool. It wasn't humid at all here, obviously air conn was installed. There were lovely paintings on the walls, Picasso, Matisse, many others he recognised from his time as well. It reminded him of Stark's place in many ways, and there was a grand piano by the stairs and mantelpiece.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind. "How much will it cost me, this place?" He liked it, but the prices would be extortionate, the UNSC was still a loosely capitalist society. Some basic necessities like bread, heating and electricity were free but this house wouldn't be "That's the best thing Cap, property developers and tax industries don't know that this city even exists. Everything is run by ONI, funded by the UN. It's being paid for you!"

Well, if he didn't need to get a job, and by saving the world get a couple of perks for his troubles…that seemed fine to him!


	6. Basic

Chapter 6: Basic

"Common Cap. Focus!" Yelled the ODST drillmaster over the barracks vox-caster. "You can do better!" The blasted sergeant wouldn't shut up, but he was right. He had the speed, strength, dexterity, endurance and spirit of a perfect athlete and perfect soldier. Yet for all his skills his WW2 training had been less than perfect. Even the most hardened veterans of that terrible war would look like poorly drilled, raw requits compared with the elite operatives of the UNSC. And with such training facilities at their disposal, he could understand how that was possible. He was inside of a simulator, inside of an artificial environment, just like on that strange TV show Star Trek.

He blasted apart digital enemies and real world targets that would spring out at him from nowhere. Explosions from grenades exploded all around, so loud they threatened to burst his ear drums. Thick smoke concealed much of the battlefield, concealing enemies and the terrain before him, concealing vital battlefield information from him, forcing him to rely on instinct alone.

Munitions blasted all around him, forcing him to go to ground. He had been struck in the side by strange pink projectiles, shot by an enemy he had not seen. He'd tried to strafe away from them, but they had still hit him. He could have sworn he'd seen the missiles turn and curve towards him, something he knew was impossible.

The strange munitions burned him as they dug into his digital body, simulating the sensation of pain…too well for his comfort. The shrapnel hugged his side and bit deep into him, agony shot through his body as he tried to pull them out to no avail. As he hugged the ground, finding momentary shelter in a foxhole. He moaned in pain as the pink shrapnel in his side disintegrated spontaneously, opening up the wounds a little further.

If only he had had his shield. They had taken his shield from him, the main point of this exercise, re-teaching him how to rely on other tools to survive. "Weapons don't need to pierce that shield of yours to kill you Cap. You cannot rely on it, you need to expand your combat repertoire". If he couldn't complete the training programme, the UNSC would have no need for him: Not that such things had stopped him in the past. But things had changed, there would be new horrors of war, new dangers that he couldn't possibly imagine: That pink shrapnel for instance. He needed the UNSC, they needed him. Nothing else mattered right now.

He had been armed with an assault rifle, the basic rifle of their armies. The rifles of the 21st century made everything from his era seem primitive. A few centuries on, humans were capable of making weapons that outclassed even those formidable firearms. The rifle was like nothing he had used before. Impossibly light for such a stocky weapon, very little recoil, yet hit its targets like a sledgehammer. Point, click, and kill. It was all that easy.

If only war could be that simple, this simulation was testing him to his limits. Not since the Avengers missions had he been pushed so hard. But he was on a high, war was exhilarating, a bad kind no doubt, but exhilarating none the less. His only anxiety, passing the test. As he was reloading his weapon, lying on the side of the foxhole, he spied movement out of the corner of his eye. A flicker in the atmosphere in front of him.

Captain America had superhuman vision, more perfect even than that of the legendary Spartan's vision. He could make out a person, a shimmering figure. Legs, arms, body, helmet. The individual had to be colossal. Eight feet perhaps? Then the figure re-materialised. _"Watch out for cloaked enemies Cap"_ He had seen cloaking devices before, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Asgardian magic, Stark had even developed man-portable devices.

The enemy was like nothing he had ever seen. It wasn't human, but he had never seen an alien like it. Colossal and muscular, purple armour, similar to a Skrulls'. The face was what took him aback the most, eyes like a demon, and four terrible mandibles riddled with teeth spreading out from a central maw, like something out of a horror movie.

A beam of light spread out from the monsters' left hand with a hiss, as if the alien was wielding a snake! The Cap realised with a start that it was a sword. An energy sword, what was it called, plasma? The monster then spoke, in a language he did not understand, spooking him even more. He shot at it, aiming for the creatures face, its only unarmoured point.

The elite ducked, it was incredibly agile for something so large. It dropped onto all fours, and continued to babble in its indistinguishable dialect. The elite's sword zeroed in on its target, seeming as it was pointing straight at his heart. Than the elite charged. Cap did the same, drawing his knife and firing as he went. The creature was too nimble to take out with a rifle, and seemed to be protected by an energy field, any bullets that did hit home shimmered and disappeared, causing no damage whatsoever.

"Waaagh!" he screamed as he ran forwards. Cap had superhuman reflexes, but the alien was so fast, it swung first. Cap deflected the blow with his rifle, he succeeded, the sword passing just millimetres from him. The rifle was torn apart by white hot plasma. Cap lost momentum, the elite didn't. Following through the charge, it kicked him. Throwing Cap hard into the wall of the crater. He'd really got himself into a situation now. The walls of the foxhole were steep and the alien was fast. Winded and with needler wounds in his side, he didn't think he could escape in time, before the alien sank its colossal sword into him.

Trapped. Only one warrior was leaving this crater. He now knew how the gladiators of ancient Rome felt. And all he had was his knife against this deadly foe. The elite marched forward, ready to meet his enemy in glorious battle. Why didn't it shoot? It had a gun in its other hand, and Cap was a sitting duck. He remembered the Samurai, their eternal code of honour. The Asgard had been no different, Thor never fought unfairly against a disadvantaged opponent. This alien had to possess a similar belief, it not, the simulation was about to end very quickly.

He needed a plan, the alien was moments from him. He spied a large rock standing between them both. He remembered his grenades, two frags at his belt. He had an idea, he would have to be quick. He sheathed his knife, and running forwards he went for his grenades. The elite was a little stunned, and Cap could have sworn that the creature was laughing at him. Cap threw his grenades, lobbing them high into the air, over the head of the alien. The creature stopped laughing. There were grenades flying overhead, they landed just behind him, there was nowhere to hide.

Cap jumped, tucking his legs into his belly, creating as small a surface area as possible. The grenades detonated, showering the elite with high velocity shrapnel. Cap took no damage, shielded safely behind the girth of the elite. Its conversion shield almost collapsed under the strain of the two explosions, and the force of the resulting shockwave pushed it off balance, warning sensors blaring away in his ears, he was vulnerable now.

Presented with an opening, Cap hefted the large rock above his head, it was wider than the elite was and just as heavy. He brought it down on the alien, hard. The blow collapsed the weakened shield and hit him square in the chest. The elites armour buckled under the attack, compressing the thorax underneath, spitting bone and rupturing tissue, organs and blood vessels. The elite didn't fall, almost as tough as a Spartan the alien simply slumped onto his left knee, dropping its plasma rifle, supporting itself with his now free arm in a crouching position. Powerful hormones kicked in, and feeling no pain it rose back to its feet.

Cap couldn't believe that the alien was still standing. He had now drawn his knife, and slashed viciously at the elites face, he wasn't about to give up the initiative. Two mandibles were taken off completely and another badly damaged. Feeling no pain, the elite stabbed with the energy sword. Cap evaded, anticipating the blow he had already strafed backwards creating vital distance, then sidestepped the attack. He drew forwards again, and spying an opening in the aliens' frontal armour, he stabbed, hard.

The six inch blade bit fully into the centre of the elite's chest. Drawing out, Cap stabbed again, aiming below, back up into the wound he had created, opening the creature's chest. Feeling no pain, the elite grabbed Cap's neck, attempting to crush his throat…but the elite had gone into shock, his sword arm was weakened, and hung limply at his side. Struggling to bring it back up he tightened his grip around Cap's neck and head-butted him.

The sheer toughness of the alien astounded Cap. He couldn't breathe, he wouldn't last much longer: He was already blacking out, so strong! He stabbed hard, at the abdomen, where he sensed the armour was weaker. The tough titanium blade penetrated the elites armour, although nearly indistinguishable from hardened battle plate, Cap had aimed at a point constructed only of lightweight flexi-polymer.

The blade connected with flesh and muscle, and the elite grunted with pain. The chemicals that had previously flooded his digital body were starting to wear off. Cap stabbed again, biting deeper into the elite, its legs went weak and he fell onto its knees.

Cap and his enemy were now eye level with each other. Snarling viciously, eyes red and bulging, nostrils flaring, the elite raised its sword arm. Using its last reserve of strength. He didn't care that he may not 'kill' his enemy, or that his defeat had come at the hands of a human. Ahlahm'a Del'rahm was simply glad that his digital end had come at the hands of a worthy adversary, locked in honourable close combat.

Cap wasn't sure who was going to come out of this the victor. His knife was stuck fast. Another attack came, the sword! Cap tried to get out of the way, not quite. The attack grazed his thigh and destroyed his holstered pistol: His last weapon. He punched the alien hard in the face. It spat blood, viscera oozing from its tattered jaw, it fell a little further. Cap punched again, than grabbed the aliens arm throttling down on his neck. The alien groaned in pain, but for integrities sake, he would not let go, _"mustn't let go!"_ His eyes were growing dark, vision swimming before him. Nearly done now.

Using the last of his energy, Del'rahm came back to his feet, lifting Cap clean off the ground. Bellowing his war cry, he held Cap above his head, Cap kicking him as he went. Then the Del'rahm fell forward, slamming Cap hard on the ground. Give the human his due, he thought…he had hung on at least. Then the elite passed out, his digital avatar finally succumbing to its terrible injuries.

Cap tightened his jaw and winced, pushing the dying aliens' massive body off of him. Gazing in wonder at the incredible enemy for a moment. Yet, there was still a battle to be won. There were 'dead' marines in this crater, their equipment strewn across the floor.

Pulling his knife out of the alien, sheathing it and picking up an adjacent rifle, he thought back to his missions briefing, the equipment of the UNSC. This weapon was called a Designated Marksman's Rifle. It was far heavier and longer than the assault rifle, it felt sturdy and reliable in his hands._ Perfect. _Just like he was used to.

Lining up on the ridge of the crater, he quickly identified the enemies' positions. Covenant bogeys, eleven o'clock, ten o'clock and, nine! They had fallen back to their last position, their HQ. Cap could see the flag, his target, his mission, was to capture that flag. Then the 'simulation' would end. The only other method to end was by his 'death', but even in the digital world, Steven Rogers never gave up! That was what made him who he was. The most important thing.

He zeroed in on his first target. A swarm of stunted looking critters, unggoy was it? There were three of them skulking behind a purple barricade. The weapon felt good in his hands, he aimed, adjusted, and fired. Two rounds struck it in the chest, the armour was tough, too tough for that. The weapon was only semi-automatic, single round bursts. A hail of green ionized plasma bolts and personnel seeking needles hurtled towards him, he strafed right, and ducked, remembering the needles' tracking ability, he didn't make the same mistake twice.

A 'squad' of marines was annihilated by a plasma mortar. Their cauterised remains spreading out all around. The point of the simulation was to permanently funnel allied and hostile troops into this area until Cap either 'died' or captured the flag. He intended to do the latter. He zeroed his rifle again, back on the same unggoy. It was still winded by the last attack. He couldn't compromise their armour quickly, even with this high powered rifle that kicked like a mule.

Defying all his combat teaching, Cap aimed for the head of his target. He fired a quick shot, knowing he only had a brief window of opportunity before another deadly salvo came his way. The grunt was dead before it hit the ground. Cap snuck down into his foxhole again, gazing at the remarkable weapon. The accuracy of the weapon was uncanny. So long as he trusted the weapon and his own skills and body, every shot could potentially be on target. He darted back up, took aim, two grunts, close proximity, he shot twice, as fast as the weapon would allow. One hit, perfect, the other missed.

"Dammit!" Cap cursed, but lucky for him the last survivor of the three didn't fire back. He remembered the poor training of these unfortunate conscripts, bullied into line by the larger Covenant species. But he couldn't pity a digital target, and whilst the alien panicked, flailing its arms above its head, Cap claimed his latest 'kill'.

His position was clear, no enemies. Eleven O'clock clear. He crawled out of the foxhole and sprant towards the covenant barricade he had just cleared. A couple of shots impacted just in front of him, the elites missed. He vaulted over the barricade, safe. He immediately grabbed one of the needlers at the position. Firing blind, he emptied the weapon and strafed the ten O'clock position, hoping that the auto seeking capacity of the munitions would mean that he didn't have to. A resounding explosion and cry of Covenant pain later revealed that his guess had been dead on.

A light lit up on the alien weapon, a button, safe behind the barricade he pressed it out of curiosity. A full array of needles sprang out of the weapon. _"A liquid polymer flask at the heart of the weapon, when excited by an electrical field crystallises into unstable, but deadly munitions". _What a remarkable principle. Cap fired again, emptying the weapon. All he had to do was hold it still, which was incredibly easy as there was near to no re-coil. New explosions erupted over the enemies' position, but a hail of plasma bolts melted the gun. It was too dangerous to try that again, he seemed to have got the enemies attention.

Taking his rifle in two hands once more, he scanned the Ten O'clock position. Allied ODST's had distracted them, he then saw banshees heading straight for them. In real life, he would have shot at the Banshees, trying to save the others before moving on. But this wasn't real, and before he lost his diversion, he took some well-aimed shots at the covenant positions. One elite fell, and three other aliens, Jackals? Yeah, that was it. That scattered the elite's charge of Unggoy, and the ODST's finished them off as they broke cover. Remarkably, they had somehow survived the banshees. One hostile left, another Jackal, hesitantly, it zeroed its rifle on the Cap. About to fire. Cap had the fasted finger, and successfully counter-sniped the alien. Ten o'clock, cleared.

Then, just as Cap prepared to move, a stealthing elite hidden behind him fired his plasma rife, and it was all over.

A shot of pain, and his digital world de-materialised and disappeared. "Human after all Cap? I have to say though, that was an impressive display none the less. You certainly showed Ahlahm'a Del'rahm how to kick digital ass" Cap was very disappointed with his performance, damn sangheili and their invisibility. "I would have done better out there if I'd started with a team sir. I was a sitting duck throughout the entire exercise!" He complained as he unplugged himself from the control chair and made his way into the directors box "Indeed you were, Steven Rogers". Came a powerful but intelligent sounding voice came from the back of the room. A colossal elite was climbing out of another control panel.

Cap was stunned, it was the elite he had faced in the foxhole. "You!" Cap gasped, he suddenly felt very vulnerable, he was unarmed "I, indeed. Please calm yourself soldier, for I mean you no harm". Del'rahm replied, flat and deadpan. "You stood alone during the battle. That was the point of this combat simulation, Captain. It is a trial that every trooper, marine and Spartan, must undergo in order to continue his training. It teaches, or reminds them, that a soldier is useless and vulnerable without his team mates, and that if you risk operating alone, you are undergoing a suicide mission"

Sergeant Hill stepped forward "For that very reason Cap. The difficulty of the simulation is adaptive, for every millimetre you draw closer to the flag objective, the battle becomes more and more daunting. In reality, war is more dangerous even than the most severe odds inside that simulator. If you die for real, you are never getting back up. Never stand alone on the field of war". He paused, letting the information sink in. Del'rahm continued

"The feats of the demon Spartan 2's are legendary, and troopers will often attempt to follow in their footsteps, trying to replicate their remarkable feats. Yet for the small brace of achievements of those few, nearly every other Spartan perished. Spartans often operated alone, it was their downfall. Modern troopers must never make those mistakes. All soldiers must know the value of teamwork, and know the perils of operating alone. The result Captain? You perished, and I also perished"

Captain America rubbed his neck a little, and his side where the needles had hit. No physical damage, yet the memory was still there, mental trauma… "You have a strong grip Del'rahm". Cap replied. "And your knife arm stronger still. That crater was an intentional trap. Most troopers never make it to the 'pitfall' let alone leave it alive…it is not often that I meet a worthy adversary, Steven Rogers. I pray that we will have the chance to do glorious battle again, one day".

Cap could've sworn he saw the alien smile, it was hard to tell with those mandibles. Cap couldn't help but laugh, this warrior was impossible, it was like meeting Thor all over again. "You would make a good sparring partner Del'rahm, I might not be so lucky next time I meet someone like you on the field" Del'rahm laughed, his laugh was deep and loud, much like Thor's. "Such modesty. A very rare virtue amongst warriors such as ourselves, I imagine I have only just scratched the surface on your potential Steven Rogers" Cap wasn't sure whether he was being complimented or not, but he simply bowed and smiled.

"Sergeant Hill, I must take my leave. I have other duties to attend to…Farewell Captain, I look forward to the day we will meet again" And with that, he strode off, with all the incredible confidence which came so naturally to his species. Sergeant Hill scratched his moustache and sighed "Oh well, I guess that ends my shift…what did you make of our resident cadet-master Captain?" "He seems friendly enough" Cap replied matter of factly. "Hell of a left swing!" Cap could've sworn he saw the drillmaster grimace slightly. How was Captain America supposed to know that Ahlahm'a Del'rahm had claimed the life of the very last Spartan on reach? Noble Six. David Hill had seen the footage, but that was all in the past.

"Del'rahm is a powerful warrior, loyal only ever to his people, never the Covenant, he was never very religious. He sees that his place is with us, rectifying the negative perceptions that people have of his kind and improving allied relationships overall"

The sangheili had started the war, yet they hadn't commissioned it. the Prophets had been responsible for that. Cap new the recent history of humanity now. It had nearly broken his heart. So many had died. So much destruction. Many humans would never forgive them for the crimes committed against the human race. But also, many Sangheili would never forgive themselves! He was a soldier, he knew why he shouldn't hate the sangheili, the unggoy or the kig-yar. Soldiers fought wars, it was nothing personal, just cold and unfortunate orders. He had met veterans of WW2, Japanese, Germans, Italians. Did he hate them? Of course not!

Working together had the potential to do so much more good than bickering about the crimes of the past. And the Free Confederation of Sangheilos represented all Sangheili who believed that cooperation was good and possible.

"I have to say Steven. I was amazed by your performance. We took you out of your comfort zone, and you performed outstandingly. You Made it to the first bunker, 'killed' Del'rahm, cleared the first two enemy positions. And reading your neural patterns it turns out that you even realised that that last elite was behind you, unlucky it shot you before you could react. You achieved all this without specialist equipment, and detected the elite without the auto sensors and motion trackers that modern soldiers have access to. Not to mention excellent marksmanship under pressure, remarkable adaptability and superhuman endurance. I think we can expect you to fit right in amongst the UNSC Cap. There's nothing else you can really learn from me, save what you already have."

Cap was relieved now, he hadn't completed the exercise, but that hadn't been the point of it. He would need allies, he had had the avengers in the past. He couldn't stand alone. What of these Spartans that everyone seemed to talk so highly of? They sounded like good men to have next to you in a tricky situation. He was unsure about the future, but the sergeant filled him with a lot of confidence. Then the sergeant's wrist computer bleeped, "you've got mail" it spoke. He read what it had to say, and sighed again.

"It looks like your time at basic has passed Captain. We've brought you up to speed on modern call signs, signals and equipment as well as the aspects of modern warfare. I hope this knowledge will help you, wherever you end up Steve" The galaxy was a dangerous place, he needed all the help he could get.

Steve winked at him, taking his hand and shaking it warmly. "Thank you Simon. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher" Sergeant Hill was a hard man, but he seemed genuinely touched by his comments "And thank you Captain. Go show those Spartans and those Covenant bastards what you're made of! Go back to the research facility, Dr Catherine Halsey and her team will be there waiting for you. Good luck soldier, God speed…"


	7. Before Forerunners

Chapter 7: Before Forerunners:

_The tree always took his breath away. It was the centre of his universe, and its roots and branches wove him into living breathing form. The tree connected everything, its energies bound all life together. "It binds us and penetrates us", he thought to himself. He was referring to all life, as equals and as symbions._

_What a mysterious artefact it was, for the tree of life and life itself was permanently entwined, like a marriage. His father possessed the life energy of the universe, and the tree held the life energies of his father. It was an imperfect equilibrium however, and required constant regulation. Through calm of mind, through meditation and suppression of his awesome powers Odin kept the forces of life in balance. _

_Only he alone knew how to control the power, it was bound to his unique life force, his soul. Control over the Odin-Force was a well kept secret, and known only by the All-father: And Thor was proud to be his son. If only Loki would learn how to accept him also. It was against his nature, but Thor couldn't help but hope. _

"_What troubles your thoughts, my son?" Thor turned around, seeing his father, he had came to join his son by the tree of life. "We've come so far over the past century, Father. Asgard has been saved countless times, the Dark Elves have been driven back once again and peace finally exists between the nine realms" He was hesitant, even after all these years, to speak his mind in front of his father. _

_It was an uneasy relationship, it was hard for Asgardians to show love, and risk having to deal with the loss of a loved one for eternity "And yet…you feel troubled Thor?" His son was amongst the most honest and perceptive people he had ever known, there always existed a place for his council. "And yet I do not feel that all is well. Not since the days of the Avengers have I walked upon the soil of Midgard, nor have we had any contact with the humans for almost 600 years" _

_It was a good point to raise, Odin had pondered on the issue of Midgard for many generations of men. Ever since the archaic era. He had even sent Thor, his most trusted warrior, to watch over humanity and protect them from the evil forces of a hostile universe. Mankind had been so young then, vulnerable and naïve like a small child. Until recently the general population hadn't even come into contact with any of the other races that inhabited the universe. Humanity had grown now, had learned of the true nature of the universe. They were strong, and no longer needed Asgardian protection. He and his people could only stand in the way and make matters worse for the humans, they had their own path to travel now, Asgard had no right to interfere with their affairs._

"_Not since the Dark Ages have any champions of Midgard passed our way. Humans have no need for Asgardians anymore my son. Order has come to the nine realms and the age of mysticism has ended. Nor are humans at risk from Asgardian treachery, such as the damage that Loki once inflicted on them" Thor couldn't help but wince, anything to do with Loki always brought strong emotions flooding back. "The roads that connect the nine realms have been destroyed. Only he who possesses both the Teserract and Odin-force now may travel between these worlds"._

_Odin had not taken the decision likely. Not only because communing with the world tree of life endangered his own life, but because it took so much power to destroy the path's that linked the realms together. If he ever disrupted the equilibrium of his eternal powers than it would destabilise all creation, leading to Ragnarok, the end times. "It was necessary. The nine forms of reality now know harmony and peace for the first time in millennia. Interaction between them only ever lead to death and destruction. Now that the possibility of interaction has ended, interference in their affairs has been rendered impossible._

_It had finally happened, Asgard had washed its hands of the sins and troubles of the other realms. They were wise enough to know that all things wold come to pass. War, suffering, even harmony itself would be assumed by states of chaos, and chaos would inevitably dissipate and order would reign once more. "I know, these worlds all have the capacity to resolve their own troubles, if only the rest of the universe would allow it to" He was gazing at his great hammer, Mjolnir, and it hung on one of the Tree of Life's winding, ethereal branches. "It is just that, it removes the possibility of us honouring our personal attachments" _

_He wasn't referring to other Asgardians, Odin knew it. He didn't have to ask what was troubling him "You refer of course to the Avengers. But how can this be my son? The Avengers are all gone, long since dead, and humans themselves forgot about them long ago" Thor sighed long and deep. "It is Mjolnir, father. Can you see?" Odin took a closer look at the mighty weapon. _

_Odin had spent millennia learning the arts of the nine realms, and had spent centuries under the apprentice of many great an elf, dwarf, mage and giant before he had joined with the tree of life. Of all his time in the other realms, he had spent the least with the dwarves of Nidavellir. He had only a rudimentary understanding of the ways of the master forgers, but he could tell that there was something up with the weapon. _

_The dwarves often spoke of their forgeries as if they were living creatures, and that their magical weapons had souls. Dwarves who knew the skills of forging well enough could commune with such artefacts, communicate with them, even learn some of the secrets that creation kept hidden from normal beings. They called this phenomena the Forge-Song, Odin had thought it nonsense in the past, the result of drunken dwarf warriors and smiths taking one too many an ale or liqueur. _

_Yet as he had learned their intimate ways and crafts, he too had started to hear morsels of the mythical Forge-Song, more than the babblings of hung over dwarves after all! The Forge-Song of Mjolnir was particularly troubling. The weapons' essence wreathed and fought against its near indestructible casing, and it squealed like a boiling cauldron of hearty stew. _

_It was a warning, plain and simple. Thor could sense it also. He knew nothing of Forge-Song, but he knew Mjolnir. There was something else as well, something strange, Mjolnir's soul essence seemed incomplete, damaged somehow. Then he saw the reason why "Your weapon is badly damaged son, an entire section of the war-hammer is missing! What have you done?" _

_Then Thor was overwhelmed by melancholy. "It was during one of my missions with the Avengers. When the Eternals revealed themselves to the humans" The blasted Eternals, Odin thought savagely to himself. They were like the Asgard in many ways. Powerful, immortal beings…yet "Whilst we who watch over, till and guide creation, it is they who would wish to subdue and rule it" _

_The eternals were their greatest threat, to battle them was to court death herself. "The very same father. I stood alone against one of their greatest, Thanos. I stood alone, I could not stop him, he struck me down, my hammer fell from my hand, and I was helpless. He was about to strike the final deathblow, his most powerful attack. Than Captain America broke through the Eternal's ranks. Only the worthy may lift my hammer. He threw himself between myself and Thanos, with shield he broke through the last few of his army and threw himself in front of Thanos" Odin listened with intent. He knew first-hand the incredible bravery of human mortals. But to throw himself in front of an Immortal? Such selfless gallantry._

"_The final deathblow never came. The assault that should have slain me, was taken by another. Captain America took the full brunt of Thanos' weapon, the Infinity Gauntlet. A disintegrator of unimaginable power, crafted by Lord Death himself, and Captain America took it, without question. Shield met gauntlet. It is said that Captain America's shield is indestructible, and had never been damaged up to this point. The attack split the shield in half, and nearly did the same to Captain America. The remarkable shield did that much at least" _

_It was a remarkable tale, how had they triumphed over Thanos? "Thanos had inflicted terrible injuries on him, but he did not fall. It was if he was imbued with the strength of every champion of Asgard, he knew no pain and he did not die. Clutching the severed remains of his shield, he cast them to one side, a single tear falling from his right eye, he took Mjolnir" A remarkable feat indeed, Odin thought. No wonder Mjolnir deemed him worthy._

_"Thanos had used all his energies in that single attack, he was completely helpless and Cap drove Mjolnir straight into his skull. Death had woven a powerful incantation around his favoured champion, so that no blow could harm him. But All of Mjolnir's might was unleashed in that one attack, his enchantments failed, but nearly destroyed Mjolnir as well. Thanos like the coward he is knew that his master's favour had abandoned him with that moment, and knowing he could not win, he fled, clutching the remains of his jaw"_

_It certainly was a grand tale "So Captain America sacrificed himself to drive back Thanos and save you?" Thor laughed, hard and guttural "Oh father, Steven Rogers is like no other mortal. The hammer strike was Captain America's last act before he succumbed to his injuries and slumped to the ground. I believed him dead at that very moment, and with all my might I sought to avenge him! We finally drove the Eternals from that place. Upon returning to his broken body, Hulk was holding him, crying out in rage and sorrow. But then we realised that he was still alive. We got him back to Midgard, and we restored him. He lived father, he lived and I never forgot my debt to him". _

_Odin placed a warm hand on his beloved son's shoulder "Why are these memories being dredged up now. And what does this have to do with Mjolnir and her battle damage?" Thor sighed again "I never forgot his sacrifice father, and in the days before the fall of the old world, before the terrible wars on Midgard and before humanity drew under single rule, Captain America was frozen, preserved in order to be revived once the human race had need for him once again. But during those dangerous times his location was lost. No one knew where he was. But I always had one way to know if he were still alive."_

_Then Odin interrupted him "Let me guess, during his duel with Thanos section of Mjolnir was taken off. When Captain America was frozen, you gave him the fragment, as a way of saying thank you" Thor smiled, taking Mjolnir from the tree "Indeed father. But that wasn't the only reason. That fragment of Mjolnir is still connected to the hammer I hold in my hand. The day Captain America wakes from his slumber, Mjolnir will stir, and I would be there to repay his debt, by aiding him whenever he would need it most" _

_Thor stroked his mighty weapon "And Mjolnir stirs now" Odin finished "Indeed. I waited for an entire century, waiting for the day when I could repay my debt. But Mjolnir never stirred. I stopped waiting, and I considered my old friend dead, for I knew something terrible must have happened". _

_Odin walked round to face his son, beaming broadly. "And now Mjolnir is restless. Captain America has awoken" Thor stepped back, and swung Mjolnir about in a couple of swift practice blows. "And when Mjolnir summons me, I will come to aid my old friend…and if he still has not changed after all these years, than I know that the day must draw very near…"_

Steve knew he was lost. Since leaving the simulator he'd been walking down long corridors and darkly lit streets. It had taken not five minutes to get from the science block to the holo-room before, but now he didn't recognise the layout of any of the buildings. It was as if the entire facility plan had changed. He recognised almost nothing, but he thought that he had found the compound door, finally.

It was dark now. The lights of Site Alpha were going out, preparing to simulate night. There were windows above, which the light passed though, casting long and creepy shadows. No one about. Cap felt vulnerable again. Only a magnum at his side. He didn't like it. Then it happened. Metal tentacles shot out from the shadows, darting towards him. Three, five, twenty? It was too dark to tell. More like claws than tentacles, they grabbed him by his arms, his legs, waist and some even grabbed his head and neck. He fought and withed against the terrible mechanisms, wincing as segmented and angular arms bit into his flesh. Try as he might, he was completely helpless. Why was this happening?

"It's been to long my old friend" A voice rang out across the empty warehouse, deep and sinister sounding, degraded and electronic, it was playing over a loudspeaker. "The years have gone by so slowly, decades, centuries, what felt like all eternity to me has been weeks for you" Whoever it was, his voice was strangely familiar, and it was definitely male.

Also intolerable, Cap had to shut this man up "Enough of this! Who are you? Show yourself!" Bellowing at the top of his voice. "Oh! But do you not remember me, Captain America? You cannot have forgotten me can you? I would be so disappointed. I have not forgotten you, Steven. For there is little else I think about! Since we last met!" There was real venom and anger in his words, Cap was confused. Who for the love of God was this?

"We share such history, you and I Captain. And how far we have come since those ancient days". It was obvious, this was someone from his past. It wasn't implausible, Cap was hear of course, but who? One of his enemies? Obviously. But who? "Show yourself stranger, if you are so eager to see me again after all these years" He would play along, maybe he could coax this individual from the shadows

"Still don't recognise my voice Captain? I am hurt! Although, I suppose my accent has changed a little since our last encounter. But that is to be expected after 600 years of exile from my home! An exile imposed on me by none other than your good self!" He could hear the hate in his voice, there was a click and a burst of static, indication that the speaker had just been turned off. A door opened a that far end of the room, light pouring out of it, forcing Cap to look away. As he did he just managed to pick out the silhouette of someone passing through the doorway. Than the door shut, and his world was thrown into darkness again.

He tried with all his might to break free of the tentacles. "Oh please Captain! You and I know well enough that your not escaping from my drone. How inspiring that you never give up, some things never change I see. But for dignities sake Steven, stop! Your embarrassing yourself!" Looking up, he could just make out the rest of the machine. He could see something glinting in the dim light of the 'evening' and a red cyclopean eye staring at him. _"That's the most frightening thing I've seen all week!" _He thought to himself.

Frustration was building inside of him. But also confusion "How do you know my name? You accuse me of having no dignity, why don't you call your robot off and release me, you coward!" His hidden enemy roared with laughter, he was very close now, ten feet, eight feet away now. Dim lights shone about him, like a pale glow-stick reaching the end of their life, armoured, matte-white armour and chromed battle plate glimmering slightly with what little light was hitting it. "So innocent, so ignorant! You are still just as stupid as I remember you Steven. Let you go? Facing an opponent you know nothing about? That would be very unwise! Still just as ignorant stupid as I remember you"

This stranger was patronising as he was cowardly. Cap took the insults and kept his cool. "If you no me so well, why not reveal yourself? Show me who I'm dealing with" Yet Cap was sure he knew who he was talking to. He just really hoped he was wrong. "Oh but of course! How rude of me!" The stranger gasped, shaking his head "As you know. More than 600 years since our last meeting, Captain. 600 years of hell and torture, left to my own devices, with naught but my very wits with which to survive. You left me with nothing, but now I have outgrown you, and I want revenge" The figure finally stepped forward, and his armour lit up in brilliant white.

Cap too one look at the man's face, than immediately recoiled, averting his gaze, refusing to loo upon him again. _"No. No it can't be! That isn't possible!"_ How was this man standing before him? How? "Allow me to reintroduce myself Captain. The old me is gone, too weak to survive in a hostile world. The Red Skull is no more. There is only...the Red King!"


	8. Up To Speed

"Chief! New contact, right above you!" Chief saw the elite just in time. It lunged at him, sword drawn, pistol drawn. Having seconds only, Chief let go of the ladder for a moment, causing the elite to miss, Chief could hear the sword as it swung by, hissing as the atmosphere interacted with the deadly plasma. He took out his magnum, firing at the elites head. Off balance after missing the demon, the high power shots of the UNSC sidearm didn't breach his shield, but did push him backwards a couple of steps. Giving him the manoeuvring space he needed, Chief vaulted up the last of the ladder rungs inside of the elevator shaft, and threw himself at the alien, a huge piece of metal debris missing him by a hairs length.

The elite shot with his plasma rifle, but chief was too fast and too close for him to break through his shield in time. The elite launched a brutal uppercut with the sword, which Chief sidestepped, intercepted and punched the elite with a savage left cross, the alien's shield flared and shone. Blue light pulsing all around him, chief grabbed both his arms and using the momentum of the charge and the punch swung him round, 180, back towards the elevator shaft. In one graceful movement, chief tripped the elite, and one superhuman push kick later, sent the elite hurtling down, screaming all the way. "I thought we had a truce with the Covenant?" Chief asked his companion "A lot can happen in four years, either way, he's probably not alone. We need to be careful".

Drawing his Assault rifle, another massive tremor tore through _The Dawn. _The ship was heading towards and unknown planet, and missing the front half of its superstructure the ships structural integrity was too weak to keep the rest of the vessel together. He checked his equipment again, side arm, magazines for both weapons, two frag grenades, with a needler and a plasma rifle salvaged off of a dead unggoy before he had gone onto ice.

He had to leave _The Dawn, _but there was a problem. "The ships remaining sensors are detecting multiple vessels, possibly covenant of origin, but there's not enough data to establish their exact origin. We need to get to the observation deck, see what were up against. Suddenly, energy flooded through the corridor, "What's that?" Chief asked, spooked, he didn't know what he was up against. Tortured metal screamed and cried out as the energy passed through it, passing through the hull of the ship at a molecular level "Sensor scan. High intensity. It doesn't match any known patterns" Cortana answered. Computer monitors sparked and went out as the energy touched it, and data of an unknown configuration scrolled across each of them.

"How close are we to the observation deck?" Chief asked, strafing towards the nearest corridor, scanning the deck with his rifle, eye moving between his motion tracker and the environment before him. Ready to shoot at the first sign of movement. "It's directly above us, already set a waypoint on your HUD!" Chief could hear the chatter of aliens, elites and grunts, picked up by his auto sensors, the system couldn't make out enough of the covenant language to translate it. always unnerving if you cant understand what your enemies are saying. "Be careful Chief, the nearest medical facility could be 1000 light years away for all we know. Conserve ammo and keep your distance" But with decades of combat experience, the Master Chief knew exactly what he was doing.

Turning the corridor, he saw two grunts, turned the other way. He holstered his rifle momentarily and moved with perfect silence. Grabbing both aliens simultaneously, broke both of their necks. He pulled their corpses silently to the ground, they barely made a sound as they died, he'd already crushed the windpipe and vocal chords. He knew exactly where to hit them. Next he spied an elite, facing the other way as well, all his attention on the main control panel of the observation deck, exactly where Cortana had placed the waypoint marker on his HUD. Maintaining stealth, he drew his combat knife and ran forwards, the elite would hear him coming, unlike the unggoy, he would have to be very quick.

The room was large and circular. A great glass dome surrounded right now by protective titanium blast doors. The observation deck contained a small bubble cockpit, raised above the rest of the deck by steps. Chief sprant up to the elite, just as it was turning round. Holding his assault rifle by the stock, he wielded it like a battle axe, striking the elite in the side of the head. The alien grunted in pain, knocked senseless by the attack, he hadn't had his shield raised. He hit a computer monitor hard, smashing the screen, glass cutting the side of his face. Chief embedded the knife into the elites shoulder, then pushing down hard brought the alien to its knees. As it cried out in pain, Chief let go of the knife and took his rifle in two hands, standing behind the elite he threw the weapon over the elite, strangling him with the stock of the weapon. Chief than pressed his body against the alien, trapping it. Not even an elite could shift one tonne of armour pressing down on it. Pulling his knife back out, he slit the elites throat.

"Demon! Demon above us. Shoot him, kill the demon!" The panicked voice of an Unggoy floated upwards, Chief had lost his animosity. swiping in the air to throw most of the blood off, he re-sheathed it, and jumped down off of the control tower, breaking the glass, and landing amongst a squad of grunts below him. He landed on one, two slow to react it was crushed under the weight of the Spartans armour. Rolling, the Chief got back to his feat, now standing at the centre of the group. Firing on full auto, he pulled the rifle down in a wide arc, taking out four of the grunts before most of the group had fired a single shot. He than broke through the space he had just created, dropping a frag as he went, a jackal was standing right in front of him, shield and plasma pistol. He pulled the shield down with his left hand, and shot the alien with his rifle held in the other. Now holding the shield, chief crouched down, protecting himself from the explosion of his frag. None of the grunts had seen him drop it, and they were annihilated.

The explosion also destroyed the shield he was holding, shrapnel rupturing the energy barrier and ripping the generator apart. Yet the luckiest Spartan ever took no damage, the mix of grunt bodies and broken shield had stopped all the incoming shrapnel. "Well done Chief!" Cortana remarked, as her hero re-loaded and his shield began to re-charge. "Just remind me not to piss you off when you wake up on a morning!"

Chief strafed left, there was a few grunts left, supported by elites. The rounds of his battle rifle tore through the energy shield of a charging elite, rupturing armour and skull with equal ease. Never bring a sword to a gunfight! He than shot a couple of rounds off at the next squad of grunts, all armed with needler, He took one of them out before they opened fire, the vicious salvo forcing him to take cover. Chief jumped behind a nearby support pillar, a couple of the needles turned the corner and impacted him, the brittle munitions breaking apart as they hit his shield. Chief took hold of the plasma grenade in his right hand, sticking out of cover for just a moment he threw the grenade, and it stuck to the re-breather of one of the grunts. An elite armed with a storm rife took a pot shot at the demon with his weapon, but it was too fast, and slipped back behind cover before he could get a shot. "Help me! Help me!" The elite turned, horrified to see that the panicking runt was running straight towards him!

The two aliens were destroyed by the resulting explosion, also taking out a couple of the nearby grunts, burned to death by the heat of the powerful explosive. The surviving grunts were in complete disarray, broken. Chief gunned the remaining six down with effortless, and well disciplined volleys. He removed the empty mag, but before he could re-load another elite de-materialised just ahead "Chief! watch out!" A worried Cortana shouted. But Chief was already on it. He grabbed the lost leg of one of the dead grunts, and threw it at the elite. The projectile moved so slowly that it bypassed his shield, and threw him off balance, most of the shots from his storm rifle missing the Chief altogether.

Running forwards, chief stooped low, scooping up the plasma sword projector of the elite who had charged him a few seconds ago, he sprant towards the elite with all the speed he could muster, and activated the weapon. He would have to be quick, warnings were going off over his armour, his shields were almost gone. The elite couldn't back up or get away. He had his back up against the wall of _The Dawn _and the demon was so fast. The elite had always won sprinting competitions when he was a youngling, but he knew even he couldn't outrun the legendary demon. Dropping his storm rifle and drawing his plasma dagger, he just stood there, and waited for death to claim him. Chief ran the elite through without hesitation. Pinned against the wall, the mighty alien struggled, and gasped, than, closed his eyes, and fell limp.

Chief de-activated the sword, allowing the dead elite to fall. He hung the weapon by the hard point opposite his pistol. "Always useful" He said out loud. "Quickly chief! Before more Covenant show up. Find the override for the blast shield so we can see what were up against". Chief ran back up the steps of the control module, keeping an eye on his motion tracker. Hidden elites wouldn't be ideal now. He reached the control panel, he was very used to dealing with UNSC computer terminals, he activated the sub routine controls to open the blast doors in no time.

"These Covenant seem different from the ones before. I've been assessing their capabilities, their weapons and armour seem more refined, superior to their old equipment" Cortana was right, Chief was studying a Storm Rifle as they spoke, judging its strengths and weaknesses, guessing its capabilities based on his knowledge of old covenant weapons. "This weapon will come in handy. Get past their armour" He would use this instead of his assault rife, it was superior in every way. It was even 100% charged. "Err, Chief! Look out of the window!" The blast doors were almost open, and what John saw made his heart sink.

There was a whole Covenant taskforce out there, at least half a dozen ships, three of which were Cruisers. A flight of Banshees passed by outside "They know were here. We won't survive if we leave _The Dawn_. What should we do?" Cortana assessed the situation, calculating the variables, attempting to determine the best course of action "We've got a cruiser on an intercept course. Those Banshee's didn't take us out, there must still be troops on board. Most likely they'll pull those forces off _The Dawn_ and crack this place like an egg! We'll never get past that cruiser if we leave"

Chief had to stay calm, it was the only way he was going to survive this, he thought things only "most of the ship's offensive capabilities are at this part of the ship, sensors said that we have missiles " Yes, but seeing as the ship was torn in half we can't access the weapons systems remotely. We'll have to activate them manually from outside the ship. Head for the elevator banks Chief, I'm setting you a way point right now" Chief stroked the side of the Storm rifle "Let's see what your capable of!" He hoped the weapon was a masterpiece, he would need every advantage possible, going up against everything just by himself, he'd survived worse, but to anyone else this would have seemed like suicide. There was a weapons cash next to the control panel. He replaced his magnum with an SMG, he could deal with the extra weight, and he needed all the firepower he could carry. he replaced his spent magazines and picked up two more frags. There was no more prep he could do.

As he reached the end of the corridor that led to the elevators, he spied a lone unggoy, it seemed distressed, perhaps he had killed the rest of his squad but missed this one. The grunt was wailing, struggling with the heavy elevator doors, trying to get them open. The alien was no weaker than a normal human, but he couldn't get the doors prised open. Then it saw the Chief standing there, it simply ran away, the grunt wasn't worth the ammunition. He shot once, the plasma bolt blew the back of the alien's head apart, he couldn't have it reporting his position. Chief was impressed, the weapon was very powerful.

Chief opened the door with one hand, prising it open, and climbed inside. He needed to get down two floors. He found the door he was looking for. "Its a long way down if you miss Chief!" She knew what he was about to try. Trusting his instincts, Chief launched himself into the air, almost managing to reach his own height in the jump. Then he started falling. The sound of the air rushing past him was amplified by his auto sensors, making it sound as if a mighty storm was blowing through the elevator shaft. Then he realised that the door was shut, there was almost nothing to grab hold of.

Time slowed down, it was like he was falling in slow motion: Spartan time! He remembered his needler rifle, with little time, holding the Storm Rifle in the other, he grabbed he weapon from his side, and shot at the door. He kept his arm straight and true, aiming at the sections of plastic at the base of the door. To his surprise, every single one of the needles stuck, and didn't fracture! Now emptied, he dropped the weapon, and made a grab for the needles. he placed his feet on some of the shafts, and he managed to grab half a dozen of them with his free hand, not enough in his mind. Only one of the needles fractured, to his absolute astonishment.

Balancing on those that had landed below him, he prised the door open with his left arm, using his shoulder to support it as he pushed it open. "You got lucky Chief! Those needles shouldn't have survived that impact. The crystals seem to be stronger than they should be. Freezing you all these years might have changed their molecular structure. More like the solid crystals that the Brutes load in their guns" Cortana was right, he had gotten lucky. He pressed on, neutralising any resistance he met on the way. Making short work of them with the Storm Rifle.

"Your nearly at the airlock Chief, five more meters then you'll have to...CHIEF! Big Contact, behind you!" Chief had been flanked, nothing had been picked up on his motion tracker, and an elite had crept up on him from behind. Orange in colour, he was a Sangheili Warrior, an elite in the Covenant remnant class, and was holding a weapon that the Chief did not recognise. It looked like a stubby, under slung variant of the Fuel rod cannon. Chief darted to the side, the elite anticipated his movement and hit him directly with his concussion rifle.

Warnings started going off all over his armour. "The weapon fires super heated plasma, way hotter than usual weapons, watch out!" The elite fired again, a three shot burst. Chief bobbed and weaved, using all the skill and agility he could muster, using his incredible reflexes to their fullest potential he managed to evade every shot, he could feel the force of every shot as they exploded around him. "The weapon functions like a plasma mortar, good for suppressive fire, low velocity projectiles, possibly very little re-coil. The projectiles curve downwards, use that to your advantage" It was no different from evading thrown grenades. After a few more shots, the elite stopped firing, started backing up and took a part of the weapon out. "He's reloading, Chief! This is your chance!"

John marched forwards, full auto with his Storm Rifle, quickly depleting the elite's shields. A few short burst later, targeting his weak points, he took his enemy down. "Good work Chief. I've just learned that the Covenant cruiser has its shields down. If we prime one of _The Dawn's _missiles, the crew of that ship is gonna have the shock of its life. The airlocks are dead ahead" Chief reached the airlock. He didn't have time to wait for de-pressurisation, he grabbed his last plasma rifle, and stuck it onto the doors opening mechanism. One explosion later, only the doors' weight was keeping it in place. "I suppose no one is going to be needing that again!" Cortana commented. Slamming into the door, Chief knocked it down, explosive decompression ensured, but didn't really effect Chief now that he was away fro the door.

He looked out across his surroundings, covenant troops were swarming over the ship, ships were all around them, but there was something else as well, nothing the Chief was prepared for. "Errm. I'm sorry, did I miss orbiting a Forerunner planet at any point?" Said Cortana, rather taken aback by what she was seeing "One thing at a time" Chief responded, there were more important priorities right now: Fighting his way to the fire control panel, and disable the Covenant cruiser that was about to blast them to kingdom come.

He sped out across the deck, not an easy feat as the ships' artificial gravity didn't exit out here. He had his magnetic clamps, but that was all. Covenant spotted him, and started to fire on his position. He took shelter, a particle beam fired by a kig-yar just missing him, burning a deep hole into the metal next to him. enough to puncture the hull and allow oxygen to start pouring out. He took aim with his rifle and started slowly picking of enemy soldiers. After a couple of rounds of shooting, Cortana piped up. Chief, the cruiser is right on top of us. Your not going to get to the controls in time! You have to move right now!" He was out of options, he would have to run the gauntlet of enemy fire.

Using the zero G manoeuvring thrusters on his armour to stop him from drifting off into space, and planning out the shortest route to the way point, he took off. It was hard going, even with his reflexes, he felt sluggish in the difficult environment of zero G. Shots were coming from everywhere, he dodged to and throw, taking cover where he could, taking out any enemy he could. his shield strength was slowly being eaten away. He saw a kig-yar holding an energy carbine right where the way point was. "Activate my jetpack, purge the fuel reserves, were gonna have to fly there" He took cover, discarding the Storm Rifle and gaining a moment of respite, hoping his shield would hold long enough for Cortana to give him the all clear. "Cortana?" He asked, his voice plagued with stress. "Done it Chief, all clear!" And with that, Chief launched himself off of the ground with all the strength he could muster, and pointing head first at the waypoint, and activated his jetpack.

Chief hurtled forward, the thrust of the auxiliary system quickly accelerating him to a high velocity. The covenant forces had not been prepared for such a turn of speed, and every single shot missed him. Finally allowing his shield to recover. Chief gave a vey real sigh of relief, but it wasn't over yet, he still had to stick the landing. But he knew just how he was going to do it. "Cortana, on my mark, fire my manoeuvring thrusters, 180 degrees, legs pointing at the waypoint" "Ready Chief!" She responded immediately "I know exactly what your thinking.

Chief started to slow himself down, slowly, a few puffs of fuel came off from the thrusters at the top of his armour. Shots started to hit him as he slowed, his enemies now better able to predict where their target would be. "Fire, NOW!" He yelled. Cortana said nothing, but as he suddenly span round, Chief knew she had done as he had asked. He shot round in less than a second, the centripetal force put against him was incredible, but it worked. He impacted the Kig-Yar, hard. Pulling it off of its magnetic clamps. Dazed and confused, it shot of into the void of space, spinning and crying out in distress. Chief had not slowed down completely, but he was able to kick off from the ceiling and bring himself back down to earth. "That was impressive" Cortana observed. "Now hit that button!" Chief didn't need telling twice. Safe inside the armoured capsule, he typed in the command routines and pressed the launch button on the ARCHER missile pod.

There was a sound of transformers powering up, a deafening clang, then nothing happened. "Dammit! Chief the blast door has jammed! The missile won't fire until its cleared!" Great! Enemies all around him and the cruiser about to fire any second. Chief took out his assault rifle, marching forward, and killing any enemy that dared pull out from behind cover. He threw a frag at a fireteam of unggoy, straight and true, like a pitcher at a baseball game. It hit a grunt straight in the abdomen, deflecting downwards, just as it his the ground, it detonated, sending aliens and body parts flying into space. Counter sniping a jackal, he finally reached the missile site. drawing his SMG, holding the assault rifle in his other, he tore through the remaining aliens around the site, he then slammed into the blast door, dislodging the busted release valve. "You did it! Now mind the exhaust!" Casually launching a grunt into space with a solid up kick, he cleared the missile launch, and taking sheltered watched as it picked up speed and hurtled towards the cruiser. It was powering up its main weapons battery, would the missile make it?

Yes! Contact! It tore through the armour at the top of the frigate, above the engines, raw fuel pored out from the centre of the ship, causing hard points to rupture all over the place as the ship flooded with unstable energy, and it pulled off, uncontrollably to the right. As soon as the ship had disappeared from view, some kind of energy began to flood over him, the same energy that had torn through the ship not too long ago. It caused his shield to flare slightly. He felt a warm sensation, as if the energy was somehow bypassing his shield. He then realised that the energy was coming from a source on the Forerunner planet. "It wasn't the Covenant scanning us" he realised.

Then something started happening. Light poured out from some point in the planet, so bright that it forced the Chief to look away, until his visor polarised, where he was able to look at the planet again. The whole planet seemed to be opening up, all his enemies dropped their weapons on the spot, an started praying and bowing at the planet, Chief was sure that he heard them chanting. Everything started drifting towards the planet, anything not fixed to the ground, floating debris, floating weapons and corpses, an entire frigate fell into the planet, disappearing completely.

"Chief? were trapped in a gravity well, its pulling _The Dawn _towards the planet. As soon as we start accelerating fast enough, or if there is an atmosphere inside there, its gonna tear the ship apart!" Chief started rushing towards the broken airlock "Where are the nearest escape pods?" "Aft section Chief! We have to hurry!" Shit! that was at the other end of the ship. He wasn't sure he was going to make it all the way. He sprant back through the doorway, the other door at the end had sealed, to stop all the air at that section from rushing out. He cursed himself, the chamber couldn't re-pressurise without the door, he realised all this as soon as he entered the airlock. Not slowing down, he holstered his rifle and hit the other door as hard as he could. His shield flared, taking off seventy percent of its power, the door was pulled clean off its hinges. Air immediately started to flood out of the ship, but Chief was going so fast that he wasn't pulled out immediately, and was able to hold himself inside the doorway.

Debris and equipment began flying out of the ship. Chief locked up his armour so he wouldn't be torn out from his position. Then by chance he happened to spot something useful. A portable over shield generator was flying towards him. He unlocked his right arm, and caught it. He flipped the switch and dropped it on the ground. The shield was designed to stop high velocity projectiles dead, transfer their kinetic energy away from the projectile. This included the air flooding out of the ship. Unlocking his ship, Chief accelerated away from the airlock, towards the escape pods. He knew the way, he didn't need a marker on his HUD.

The ship juddered and shook, metal buckled and tore apart, high velocity debris and shrapnel flew left right and centre. If Chief hadn't had his armour, he would have been shredded by the tiny pieces of razor sharp titanium and steel. Aliens were running around, trying to escape, Chief took no notice of them, not even if they shot at him, the escape pods were far, he couldn't wait for anything. A huge tremor tore through the ship, throwing the chief into a wall. "All but one of the gravity generators just went dead!" If they lost the last, they might not make it! Chief re-doubled his efforts, pushing himself to the limit. There was a grunt standing right in the centre of the hallway, just standing there staring at a large hole in the floor, it didn't know what to do! Chief drew his knife and took the alien's head off, vaulting over the lifeless body and the chasm ahead. He couldn't stop for anything.

He finally reached the door, the escape pods were right behind it. He couldn't believe he had made it. Just as he was about to open it, it was ripped off its hinges and the entire section began to de-pressurise. All chief could do was hold onto a railing and watch the escape pods tear away from the ship. The force pulling against him was incredible. He groaned under the strain. "Chief! Please! Hold on!" But the combination, of atmosphere exploding past him, Forerunner gravity well, and fatigue from battle and his head long dash to the escape pods was too much for him. with tired hands, he started to loose his grip, then he was ripped away from the thin railing, and pulled into the void.

Debris flew all around him. It was only a matter of time before something hit him. He hit a large section of hull from _The Dawn, _the impact took down his shield, but the gel layer underneath his battle plate absorbed the impact. He vaulted over another piece of hull, using his arms and his maneuverering thrusters. Keeping calm under pressure he began to think of how he could get out of this. "Can you track the escape pods" He asked Cortana. "Negative! LOOK OUT!" He was heading right for a Covenant frigate. Which promptly exploded as it his the planets gravity and split in half. Changing his heading with the thrusters, Chief shot right through the centre of the ship, the intense heat from the fiery explosions emanating from the ship taking out his shields again. Then, his luck ran out. Another piece of debris came up fast and hit him dead on. Everything went black.


	9. Old and New

The sun was rising, falling over the great city below. As he stood there on his balcony, he realised that the great glowing orb was like a God. He could see why people had once worshiped it, misguided and innocent has they had been. Its warmth and beauty, and when you stared for too long, it punished you with pain and blindness.

He didn't think about such things often. For beneath that sun there was a whole world beneath him. A high paced world, full of fun and fast cars, women and alcohol. He loved all of these things. How could he not? Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Because he was Tony Stark, and he loved all of these pleasures.

But most off all, he loved being Tony Stark! And he loved being Iron Man!

"Jarvis! Are you up? Hope you haven't been out too late at night?" All the lights in the room behind him began to light up, revealing its many contents. An ad-hoc collection of objects. There were weights and punch bags, robotic arms performing every task imaginable, from moving pieces of titanium and platinum to sweeping the workshop floor. There were many tables, filled with papers and spread sheets, bolts and screws, hammers, welding torches and the many daft and amazing prototypes he was currently working on. There at the back of the shop, most incredible of all, protected by an arc of thick plexi-glass, were his Iron Man suits. The only creation of his that he had ever placed copyright over: Much to the horror of his board of directors, ever the threat of someone ripping off his other ideas.

"For you sir? Always!" Answered Jarvis, as he came online. "Unfortunately, as I possess neither the need for alcoholic beverages nor legs, I have never experienced the pleasure of such things" Stark smiled, knowing of course that such a thing was impossible. "You don't know what your missing Jarvis. They'd probably spin a special deal for you. Electro therapy, battery acid shots, blue lit room full of cute little cyber chicks...whatever a machine is in to" "I can hardly imagine sir!" Jarvis answered, sarcastically. "Anyway, Jarvis, shift the rims, turn the cogs of industry, I need to get to work!"

The shop kicked into life, transistors activating, capacitors powering up, computers and HUD's activating all around him "Certainty sir, everything is primed and ready for you!" Tony sniffed, what a tragic atmosphere the room had. He knew how to change that! "Common Jarvis, spin one of my mix tapes, get this place moving, its like a call centre in here! Track three, play it!" "If you say so sir" With the bass line pushed up to maximum, "You Shook Me All Night Long-AC/DC" started playing, and Tony was loving it. Nodding his head slightly as he pulled up info on the central HUD mainframe. A familiar outline appeared on the screen as he pulled up the data of a top secret blueprint.

"Is the Mk IX ready Jarvis?" He had worked non stop for three months to iron (no pun intended, honestly! :D ) out as many glitches and flaws with the suit as possible. After the fiasco with the other prototypes he had once worked on, destroyed by himself and by the sadistic mandarin, the day he had almost lost his lifelong friend and partner, Pepper. That night had scared him too much, and he had tried to escape his responsibilities, stop putting everyone he loved in the firing line. But the world had caught up with him, and he would always be Iron Man. Tony had taken the death of his friend James Rhodes so hard. Worse still, Pepper had passed away just four months ago. Devastated was too weak a word to describe his emotions. Yet this loss had only galvanised him, giving him unbreakable resolve to go on. He had retaken the mantle of the hero, and he had never looked back.

He had designed the system that had frozen his lifelong friend, Steven Rogers...or as the rest of the world knew him, Captain America. That stubborn jackass drove him insane. But Steven was still his friend, and they had gone through hell together. He had given him his mkI arc reactor when he had left. That was three years ago, and he had met Steven seven years before that! Tony was 58 years old, starting to turn, even with his advanced medical technology, a lifetime of billionaire superhero antics was starting to take its toll.

But Tony was still in the greatest shape of his life. He worked out daily, went jogging, did marathons and took jets out on high G manoeuvres. He had practiced martial arts, armed and unarmed, for decades, boxing as a kid, than started to take his training really seriously after the Avengers. Weapons expert, combat expert, he could take any soldier in combat practice, marines, SEALS, anyone. He was in terrific condition, but he had good reason, because he knew something was brewing in the east.

Disasters in Russia and the middle east had destroyed the worlds oil supply. The world's financial system was crashing, and without oil, he couldn't see how the system was going to recover. The world was going bankrupt. Even men as rich as Tony Stark were starting to feel the pinch. War was inevitable, and the world was desperate. The new president of America was a weak man, North Korean terrorists had bombed America, killing seven hundred people in a terrible genocide, not since September 11th had America mourned so strongly. He had personally destroyed the military elements responsible for it. He had faced some pretty crazy weapons systems out there in the far east, even coming across battle suit, piloted by a man who called himself the "Titanium man".

This hadn't been enough for the desperate US president. Paranoid, seeing enemies where they didn't exist, had exterminated the country with nuclear weapons. No one knew to this day how many had died. North Korea's allies wanted revenge, nuclear fallout had spread into Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia and China. Thousands were dying because of the weakness of a scared and misguided US leader. War was inevitable, he couldn't see how it wouldn't turn out any other way.

Countries across the world were spreading desperately across the solar system, setting up colonies, entire towns were migrating into space, a mass exodus. Even though vast new stocks of recourses were being exploited, Tony felt that it wasn't enough. Companies like NASA, AIM, Stark Industries, Virgin and a thousand selfless others had almost bankrupted themselves in the pursuit of black sky, and men like Stark himself had accelerated the technology base of planet earth at colossal speed, trying to make alternate solutions possible. But with a heavy heart, Stark still felt it wouldn't be enough to stop the global economy from failing, and dooming a desperate world to total war.

"I think Cap might have had the right idea Jarvis, letting the nerds at S.H.I.E.L.D. freeze him. He's gonna miss one heck of a party" Jarvis starting doing some subtle calculations, tapping into government comms, seeing global news bulletins and stock market prices before the public even saw them. Internet lectures and essays, blogs, government mainframes, Jarvis could see all of them, and he could only see a single future. "I would not exactly call it a party sir. War does seem to be inevitable. Unless our friends from Asgard intervene" Tony sighed, knowing that such a thing was impossible. Thor had told him about the destruction of the passage ways between both worlds. Humanity was alone. "It seems that way. Doesn't it" He said, managing this rhetorical question, his heart breaking. There was nothing else he could do to stop this. If there was a higher power out there, a benevolent God, humanity was in his hands right now.

"Bring up the system specks of the Mk IX, and redirect all power outside of the workshop towards the Tango site" "Does that include the rest of America, Mr. Stark?" This was his last chance, as soon as he started to charge the Time Cannon, there was no going back. It was the last project Stark Industries would ever possibly work on. He knew how to build a failsafe, a way how to get home. But there was nothing left for him here, the world was about to implode, and it would take centuries for earth to recover from what was coming, he was sure WWIII was coming.

"Once the charging programme is complete, unlock the Mk IX's data systems. Download yourself into the Liquid Crystal core" "Yes sir. Good luck Tony!" And with the charging programme locked in, Jarvis shut down its central processor, and began his download into the MK IX. The Reactive Metal Liquid Crystal Core. Stark had come up with the idea after a night of heavy drinking, and had written down the ideas on a notepad before passing out in the workshop. The next afternoon when he had recovered, he had found the notepad, and knowing full well of his drunk brainstorming habits, began to read. And he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

The system flawlessly replicated the mechanisms of the human muscular system, it would replace the hydraulic press used in all modern machinery. But that wasn't all. The system contained multiple semi-conductor materials and magnetized composite metals, all of which had data carrying capacity. Blending elements from phase-change, molecular and semi-conductive data storage methods and all their strengths, he had produced a revolutionary new way to store digital data. He had even discovered a way to shield the system from an EMP, if a nuclear bomb went off, he would at least be able to move around.

The results of the system were obvious. Colossal memory storage capacity and high strength capability - it had obvious application for his Iron Man suit. He had worked on the system for three years solid, at the expense of almost everything else. There was only one problem with the system. He needed to move in perfect unison with the RMLCC (Reactive Metal Liquid ... ). On his first trial, using a thorax mounted system. He had thrown one punch, and it had broken his arm in seven places. Human bones weren't strong enough to use the system. Tony had doubted whether even Captain America could use it. The solution? Biological augmentation.

A government funded think tank had come up with a new material, A Ceramic Carbide composite. Too expensive to be cost effective, the US armed forces didn't know what it was useful for. Stark knew exactly what! He knew that the compound was chemically neutral. Able to inject into the body without risk of immunal rejection or disrupting metabolic pathways within a human. He bought the right to the patent for $10,000 dollars (in the modern financial climate, about twenty cents), and started producing it himself.

Over a period of eight months he was able to coat all the bones of his limbs (including his neck), rending the tensile strength of his bones near to unbreakable under realistic environmental stresses. But his body weight had almost doubled, he needed to augment his muscles. The scientist at S.H.I.E.L.D. had developed a protein complex that when injected into the muscle groups of an organism, altering their muscle composition and increased their core strength and endurance many times over. It was shown that test subjects were then rendered immune to the effects of muscle waiting disorders, and once perfected was going to be sold to the public as a cure to such disabilities.

As a level 7 S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, Stark had access to their laboratories, and was able to get clearance for him to use it personally. The injection process was the most painful experience of his life, and he had risked a fatal cardiac arrest during the procedure. He had survived, and on testing, he had overcome his weight issues, and increased his strength capacity by 70%. He would impress his friends by going down to the gym and bench-pressing 550 pounds. He was now compatible with the Liquid Crystal System.

The Mk IX was an updated MK VIII, the system he had used during the first Avengers mission, defending New York from Loki's forces. But it was far more than a modified suit, there were other remarkable technologies. The Liquid Crystal system replacing his hydraulics was one of the greatest, and he had replaced the space with more armour. He had also thickened the armour around the head and Chest. Two other revolutionary technologies had been introduced.

A personal shield system: He called it the Striker System, utilizing powerful superconductors and magnetic composites, the system produced a powerful energy shield, similar to the planets own magnetic field, and would deflect kinetic projectiles and charged particles. It boasted an immediate recharge, but was directly connected to his power core. If the shield was depleted, all his auxiliary systems would fail momentarily, including his thrusters.

Second was the Spectre system. An internal energy converter, converting body head, infrared, ultraviolet and everything above into usable suit power. The iron man suit and Tony Stark wold not emit any radiation of any kind. Utilizing photo-reactive panelling like ad been used on the S.H.I.E.L.D Hellicarrier and powerful phased array optics, he had constructed an active camouflage system. In combination with ablative stealth coatings and electromagnetic reflective paints, Iron Man could now become nearly completely invisible.

He'd also fitted environmental controls in his suit, it was capable of operating inside a vacuum. He'd learned from the events of the past! The suit was a masterpiece, as ahead of its time as the first Iron Man armour had been. Armed to the teeth, with as many weapons systems at Tony could install into the suit, he was confident he could deal with any threat that he would come across once in the future. The future! Stark chuckled to himself. He had always been a futurist, but this was just ridiculous. Cap had frozen himself. Stark was too impatient to wait that long. Testament to his impatience, he had invented a one shot working method of time travel.

A porthole opened up in the middle of the workshop, and the Mk IX began to rise into view. "Download is completed sir, I'm fully integrated into the armour's computer core, I am ready for combat" Tony sighed. This was really happening. He couldn't miss his flight, even with every power system on the East Coast powering up the time cannon, it would only remain open for a couple of seconds. "Lets not keep the future waiting Jarvis! I'm sure she's a busy place!" There was nothing left for him hear. But he couldn't prevent a painful lump from forming in his throat.

He climbed into the suit, and it closed in around him "All ready, Mr Stark. The time cannon will fire in seventy seconds. You don't have much time to get to the event horizon. I've already placed a waypoint on your HUD" "No time like the present Jarvis!" "It would seem that is the case sir. Sixty three seconds till th-" "You don't have to tell me again Jarvis!" He yelled, launching himself into the sky, through the balcony window, heading straight for black sky.

The acceleration was incredible, even with the gravity dampening systems of his suit, he wasn't sure if he was going to black out. At least he didn't have to pilot the suit himself. "Jarvis, take over! Just in case!" "Yes sir, I have adopted control over the suit. The suit will switch back to manual as soon as we break free of earth's gravity...speed has reached Mach 1.5" Tony guessed that they would make it thirteen seconds before the time cannon fired and he was thrust into the future. At which point the distinction in space time between past present and future would begin to break down. Jarvis could scan the timeline at that point, utilizing systems on the Time cannon and they could plot their coordinates.

The exact time travelled was directly proportionate to speed, he estimated that Jarvis would be limited to assessing 900 years of future history, but his speed would be limited to 700 years. Once the coordinates were plotted, he could calculate the jump to the nearest minute. "Leave to the Cree to figure all this out!" Tony said out loud. He could see the time cannon satellite now.

He had been able to build it by canalizing a Cree time ship that had crash landed twenty years ago. Cree technology was incredibly rugged and survivable, it had still perfectly functional when they had discovered it at the bottom of the Pacific ocean "Sir, we've successfully arrived at the way point. I've already brought our speed to zero" The satellite was right behind him. All he had to do was accelerate to an exact velocity before the event horizon opened and the beam produced by the weapon thrust him forwards into the future. He was staring right down the barrel of the cannon, but then he looked away, and looked down on the earth below him. "Not a bad sight" He remarked "Hope she will still look this lovely when I return" Then Jarvis interrupted him "Sir, I've just analysed the timeline. You might want to see this!"

The video feed of his HUD was replaced with that of a future event. And Stark couldn't believe what he was seeing...or, more to the point, who he was seeing. He was strung up by his arms and legs, by some sort of harnesses. There was a figure pacing around him dwarfing the captive man. The stars and stripes were unmistakable. "Captain America! Son of a gun!" He gasped. "I can confirm sir, this is Steven Grant Rogers" Tony was ecstatic, the old man had survived! Yet his joy was short lived, and soon was turned to horror. The harnesses around him tightened, and Captain America was bisected limb from limb. Tony was almost sick as he saw his old friend get torn apart by mechanical arms. But he steeled his emotions, and filled his soul with determination.

"Well...I guess we have our coordinates. Jarvis, don't fuck up the calculations, coz I'm about to save my old buddy!" "Right away sir, course plotted, speed calculated, hear we go!" All Iron Man's thrusters ignited. Tony felt as if his insides were being pushed into his feet. The acceleration and G forces were even more extreme now that they had left the atmosphere behind. None of his flight experience prepared his for this. The satellite began to flare and tremor. Huge forces were building, as power flooded into it. Multispectral lights were flying from it, as well as radiation from every single wavelength, and multidimensional energies flooded out of it. The satellite was ripped apart by the event, but not before it was able to produce a singularity in space time.

A shunt and a blinding flash of light informed him that he had passed through the event horizon. As his body was transmuted into tachyons Tony Stark smiled. He knew that he was about to see his old friend again.


	10. Rock Versus Stone

Cap could hardly believe who was standing in front of him "How are you still alive Johann?" His old nemesis couldn't possibly be here. He was destroyed by the Tesseract, wasn't he? "Did you believe me destroyed, all those years ago? No! I was transported! The Tesseract saw me, saw into me when I touched it. Filled me with its power, it knowledge, and I was exposed to the full force of its majesty. There was a point where all that was mine. For the Tesseract held the very power of creation itself. The power and knowledge of the entire physical universe was held in my very grasp! But it was too much, of course it was! How could it not be? When I lost control, the Tesseract transformed me, into pure information. And I was pulled into the fabric of creation. But the Tesseract was not a prison. It was a door. And where one door opens, another must open. And I was thrown through that door"

Cap was shocked. Of course he knew nothing of the Tesseract, apart from the fact that it was an incredibly powerful artefact that belonged to Asgard. Who Loki stole long ago, and brought it to earth, where it was lost, eventually found and then ended up in the hands of Johann Schmitt, the Red Skull, or king, or whatever he called himself these days!


	11. Revalations of Reclaimers

Cap could hardly believe who was standing in front of him "How are you still alive Johann?" His old nemesis couldn't possibly be here. He had been destroyed by the Tesseract, hadn't he? "Did you believe me dead, all those years ago? No! I was transported! The Tesseract saw me, saw into me when I touched it. It filled me with its power, it knowledge. I was exposed to the full force of its majesty. There was a point where all its knowledge was mine. The Tesseract held the very power of creation itself, the power and knowledge of the entire physical universe was held in my very grasp! But it was too much, how couldn't it not have been? When I lost control, the Tesseract transformed me into pure information, and I was pulled inside, trapped. But the Tesseract was not a prison. It was a door. Where one door opens Captain, one can always walk through to the other side. And I was thrown through that door"

Cap was shocked. Of course he knew near to nothing about the Tesseract, apart from the fact that it was an incredibly powerful artefact that belonged to Asgard. Who Loki stole long ago, and brought it to earth, where it was lost, eventually found and then ended up in the hands of Johann Schmitt, the Red Skull, or king, or whatever he called himself these days! The Red King continued.

"When I remerged onto the other side of the door, formed of flesh and blood once more, I found myself standing not inside the hull of an aircraft, but on solid land. Rolling desserts, rich crimson sand and colossal dunes. There were a few plants, blood red leaves, long thin spines, twisting, winding stalks that bobbed and wove in the wind. It was dark, the sun had gone down. It was then when I looked up, to locate the stars, figure out my location, navigate my way out of the dessert. To my astonishment, there was something far more revealing within the heavens to inform me of my location. When I looked up into the sky, and saw the planets horizon, rising up from the ground in the distance, to my astonishment, was land!"

Captain America didn't understand, what was the mad man saying? "For you see Captain. The Tesseract had transported me, not to somewhere on earth, but somewhere else. A great arch of landmass rose up into the heavens from a point beyond the horizon, it rose, high into the sky, above my head and towards the horizon and mountains behind me. I could see Oceans, rivers, desserts and landmass. Forests, buildings hanging in the dark, night sky. As I marvelled at the sight, knowing that I was no longer on earth, something came floating down towards me. A shooting star I thought at first. But it weaved across the sky. Back and forth, back and forth, growing larger. It was the second most remarkable sight I had seen all day..." And the Red King began to reminise, thinking about how his new realm had begun all those years ago...

_The orange light was floating down towards me, growing larger, details becoming visible. It was like an eye, hovering silently in the pitch black sky. A great bulb at the centre, like a lantern, like the sun had ben scoped from the sky and placed inside a metal cage. The most remarkable metal. Chrome, perfect, without blemishes. Than to his amazement, the floating globe spoke to him._

_"Greetings. I am 049 Abject Testament, systems Monitor of Installation 03. You have passed through the door of my ancestors. No one has passed through the portal in over four millennia, the last to do so was most distraught when he realised that he could not leave this place. I welcome you" I am horrified, this desolate world, I was trapped here? I couldn't believe this...machine...he was trying to trick me, had to be, fury was building inside me "You will send me back to my world creature!" I reach for my sidearm, a Steyr M1912, lights emanate from the machine, dancing across my pistol. I have seen this before, they are scanning lasers of some kind. Before I can even draw it, The creature than laughs at me, the sheer impertinence, adding to my anger and frustration "Oh, most amusing. You must know that such a primitive weapon will have no effect on my armoured superstructure whatsoever. A tier 7 concept, a high tier 6 construction. Utterly useless...Reclaimer" Skull believed him, the metal was similar to something he had been working on at Hydra, not that whatever it was made of would be remotely similar...but if it was, he would run out of ammunition a thousand times over before he harmed the creature. _

_I relax "Well then, machine. Perhaps I shall just tear that bulb from the centre of your eye!" I scream, and charge. The bulb at the centre turns blood red, and energy bursts out from its centre. It moves at the speed of light, I do not even see it, let alone react to it. It burns my leg, cauterising, burning deep. I grunt in pain, and fall down, my right leg completely destroyed "Enough of this foolishness Reclaimer. There is nothing you can do to harm me. You have no reason to threaten me. Surely you must know of me, you are the child of my fathers, and I am here only to help you Reclaimer, just as I am programmed to do" _

_I wince, and clutched my tortured leg ask "You lie, fiend! If you were my ally, you would not maim me! What do you keep calling me? What is this Reclaimer nonsense?" The machine floats right up to me, fast as a bullet, I recoil, it has already inflicted so much damage upon me _

_"Nonsense! Oh, perhaps humanity is not yet advanced enough to comprehend us yet, most unfortunate. Maim you Reclaimer? Such injuries whilst catastrophic, are nothing to a construct of my capabilities. The wound was merely a threat of my own. To show who the superior being is, combat wise at least. Yet for someone so primitive, you have conducted such fine work upon yourself. A shame to damage such a being, I will repair the damage, now that you know that aggression is futile" Green light pulsed across my twisted, bloodied limb. It burns and itches, and open mouthed, I watch as the wound retreats. Within less than a minute, has gone completely. My leg completely repaired, I stand, now willing to hear what this most remarkable machine has to say. _

_"Your features resemble that of a flayed and tortured man? Most fearsome indeed. And your genetic augmentations, whist quite crude, are most effective. It is obvious that you represent some form of soldier caste within your society" Crude? A soldier? It was obvious that this machine was a product of technology that was worlds beyond his own, but the Red Skull was deeply insulted...it had never occurred to him that his horrible disfigurements distinguished him in such a way, how curious "I am no soldier machine...Abject Testament, whatever on earth you called yourself. I am a scientist, and an engineer. My work, 'crude' as it is, I will admit, imperfect, was too impressive for my people to comprehend. I was outcast, and hunted by humanity. But I am not a mindless soldier, machine!" _

_The machine's next reaction shocks me completely "Machine? The impertinence, such ignorance! I was never proud of being what I am, wishing that my own kind would be forgotten. But even I cannot go so low as to be called a machine! Reclaimer I am an advanced artificial intelligence, designed to replicate all the facets and aspects of a living creature. I have lived for one hundred millennia's, seen the passing of my forerunners, and seen the birth and death of stars themselves. I am so much more than a machine, just as the forerunners always intended" This thing claimed to be a living being? A machine? He was having a conversation with it after all. He had even insulted it! But no, this piece of floating metal and glass couldn't have the one thing that made himself so special, a soul. _

_It was just a slave, meant to keep up the appearance of a living creature through smoke and mirrors. A tool for himself to use however he would "Why do you keep calling me a Reclaimer, what have I to reclaim?" The machine simply just shook its bulbous, shining head. "Tut, tut, tut. You're kind used to be so much more, humanity used to know and do so much, produce wonders that rivalled that of the forerunners themselves. What have you to reclaim human? Everything. Everything you see around you. The forerunners always knew that human kind was special. When they left this galaxy behind, it was humanity that would inherit all that they had once possessed. Their knowledge, their technology, their constructs, and their mantle of responsibility: The duty to till and protect all life no less. If your peons are like yourself, than humanity is so like children. Unsophisticated. But it is your destiny to remedy that, to better yourself, to retake your place in the stars. With the works of the forerunners at your disposal, you will rid the galaxy of all that they could not, and finish what they have started" _

_Remarkable. So much to take in. He had read his mythology. Learned of the legends, how humanity had once been greater than it was. This, was, proof! The people of earth had once been a star faring race. So great that these forerunners, an older species of intelligent life? No doubt. From another world? How fascinating, the implications that humanity was not alone in the universe were huge "Is this planet ...this world I am standing on of Forerunner origin?" I ask "Yes. It is one of many constructs, seven in fact. The halo array, rings created by the forerunners, the diameter of an entire planet, weapons of mass destruction designed to irradiate all life, sapient or otherwise, from the galaxy, in order to irradiate the flood, the great enemy of my fathers" I am stunned. Such power and technology is at my disposal. Forget, discard the riddle of the Tesseract and cryptic human mythology. Everything he had ever desired was here. Straightforward knowledge, not of mysticism, but of science. Power and technology beyond his wildest comprehension. Now he really did have questions. _

_This machine had said it was the systems analysist for this entire installation. Surely its knowledge and understanding of forerunner technology would be near to perfect, so long as this ring world did represent some opitiomy of their capabilities, not that the Red Skull could conceive of anything greater. "What is this mantle you speak of? What is this flood that requires annihilation?" Monitor 043 brought up the relevant data "The mantle is the forerunner's belief and duty to the conservation of all life. The forerunners had the right to interfere with the development of all life in the galaxy, should they see through their wisdom that it would benefit the greater good of the galaxy and preserve the diversity of life across its solar systems" Very interesting, I think to myself._

_And what of the flood?" It was such an odd name, for what had to be another alien species of some sort. "The flood were a parasitic organism that sought to assimilate and destroy all life. It is why they must be irradiated should the mantle continue to be upheld. It is such a shame that you have altered your genetic heritage so far human, otherwise you would be able to activate the array and irradiate the infection immediately. As you cannot, this installation will not allow you to do so via artificial means either, you do not have the genetic right to do so. But your right is still that of the Reclaimer, all that is forerunner is now yours, all that they have built belongs to you, to use as you will, and use to uphold the mantle"_

_The Red Skull cared nothing for this mantle of responsibility. But cared greatly for the ownership of his new dominion, he would ask the million dollar question "Has any other human become aware this great inheritance?" This was the 20th century after all "Only four humans have ever come across the forerunner. And those encounters did occur hear, coincidentally. They all passed away, too primitive to cope with the majesty of their responsibility. You are the first to truly appreciate and understand what it is you are being offered. It is remarkable that it has only taken ten thousand years for your species to develop to the point where they are compatible once more with their great inheritance, even if you only just make it!" Skull wasn't sure if he should take it as an insult or a compliment. But he had to be charming, he had to be coy. This power was all his, and it was right within his grasp. _

_He almost felt weak at the legs "It appears then that we can draw two things from this encounter. That I have been sent here to reclaim the mantle. And second..." A large smile playing across his awful features "...that we have much work to do, Monitor of installation 03" The machine began to sing with joy "Wonderful, oh most wonderful! There is much work to be done Reclaimer-" Skull interrupted him, holding up a hand in protest "Please, Abject Testament. Call me...(thoughts started playing across his mind, what would he call himself now? He had outgrown his old name, what was he now? Was he a leader? An emperor? Than it came to him!)...call me the Red King!" He said with much majesty "As you wish" the Monitor replied, whilst Abject Testament did not like him, he knew that he was going to enjoy working with this human!_


	12. Time Takes Its Toll

**_Authors Note: Hi everyone. Just a considerate note for all the fans of my stories. This thing called life has caught up with me. A mix of heavy university schedules and family issues means that I won't be able to do work on my stories for a while. _**

**_I hope you won't be too disappointed when reading this. _**

**_However, I do really enjoy writing them though, so as soon as I get the chance, I will start work once more. _****_It might be a few weeks or so (But I do have a few chapters in the works) until I am able to do anything substantial... _**

**_...but I will be back, you have my word, I will be back. _**

**_With greatest regards, and the promise of future chapters and stories to come,_**

**_C_****_omposer out!_**


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